Statement on the 7th Anniversary of the Gutting of the Voting Rights Act

Statement from The Climate Reality Project President & CEO Ken Berlin on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of Shelby v. Holder:

"Today, seven years after the US Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, our democracy is under threat. Obstacles preventing voters from casting their ballots – from strict voter ID laws to voting record purges to limits on voting-by-mail – threaten the fundamental American right to choose leaders who represent our voices and our values, particularly when it comes to climate action and climate justice. These laws often disproportionately restrict voting rights among low-income communities, students, Indigenous communities, naturalized immigrants and communities of color – further evidence of the deep roots of systemic racism in our country. We call on Congress today to pass legislation to protect the rights of all Americans to participate in our democracy, and specifically call on the Senate to pass the $3.6 billion in the Heroes Act for mail-in voting and safe in-person voting."