Transcripts For CSPAN Hearing On Voting Rights In Minority Communities 20240713

Quick and easy search of the candidates. Our coverage based on the candidate, the topics, events and locations on the campaign trail. And the statebystate results broken down by the candidates, counties and districts. Not only the president ial candidates, but the Upcoming Senate and house races. And schedule information. It is free, easily accessible and it is all there at cspan. Org. Announcer next, health panel investigates Voting Rights in low income and minority communities. We will hear from the president of repairers over the breach, william barbara, and two of the Founding Members of the student coordinating committee, diane nash and thomas jenkins. Chaired byg is Carolyn Maloney of new york. Rep. Maloney good morning everyone. Without objection the chairs is authorized to declare recess of his committee at any time. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning, i thank all of you for being here today. Good morning, today we are examining our nations history of Voter Suppression, as well as the obstacles that many minority communities continue to face to this day. In exercising their fundamental right to vote. Tomorrow we will be holding a ceremony to honor our dear and colleague and our former dear friend and colleague and our former chairman, Elijah Cummings. We will be renaming this hearing room after him and commending everything he stood for. Todays hearing is part of our efforts to honor his legacy. Protecting the right to vote was one of the most important issues if not the most important issue he fought for during his decades of service. We are holding this hearing in a in february, during black history month. It was black americans whose voices were stifled, blocked and silenced for centuries. It is black americans who are still being disproportionately targeted even now with shameful efforts to prevent them from registering to vote, purging their names from the voter files and making it harder for them to exercise their right under the constitution. Last february, chairman cummings held a similar hearing, one of the very first he called after becoming chairman of this committee. He explained his vision for our work. I would like to play a clip from that hearing. I believe that we should be doing everything in our power to make it easier for eligible american citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. We should be promoting absentee voting, not rolling back these important programs. Rep. Maloney that is a northstar that everyone in this nation should rewith. Should agree with. On this date 151 years ago , Congress Passed the 15th amendment, declaring the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied on account of race. That was the beginning of a long and deadly struggle to ensure all american citizens can cast their votes. This year is also the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights act of 1965 and the 55th anniversary of bloody when sunday, hundreds of peaceful civil rights marchers were beaten on the Edmund Pettus bridge in selma alabama. Selma, alabama. The efforts of civil rights pioneers, some of whom are here with us here today, help millions of americans exercise their right to vote. Unfortunately today, states are attacking the right to vote using tactics similar to those that civil rights pioneers battled for decades. Last year, and under chairman cummings leadership, and also that of congressman raskin, the committee will launch an investigation of allegations in three key states, georgia, texas and kansas. Today, we are releasing some of the documents and information we obtained as part of that investigation. For example, in georgia secretary of state brian kemp purged more than half a million and block the rolls, to the registration of thousands more, all while running for governor. Emails obtained by the committee showed mr. Camp at the top Campaign Aide congratulated each other for confusing the public about their illegal voter roll purges, and they also gleefully celebrated as they made it harder for hundreds of thousands of americans to vote. They have been used laughing and smiling emojis in a sickening display of derision. To texas, which threatened thousands of innocent americans with criminal prosecution for voting illegally , only to be forced to reverse course when it was revealed that many if not all were u. S. Citizens with every right to cast their ballot. Finally, we examined kansas, which moved the one and only polling site in the entire city of dodge city, kansas, outside the city limits without bothering to consult with the local voters. Dodge city has a population of more than 25,000 and they consist predominantly of minorities. Unfortunately, these are not the only instances of discrimination and Voter Suppression. For example, North Carolina passed an extremely restrictive i. D. Law, but the Fourth Circuit struck it down a ruling that would target africanamericans with almost surgical precision. These abuses must end in the cash and in the house of representatives has taken action to stop them. Last year the house passed a landmark bill to protect Voting Rights. H. R. 1, before the people act would reduce barriers to voting through automatic registration, sameday voting and registration and expanded early voting. H. R. 4 would restore and modernized the Voting Rights act to protect against discriminatory voting practices. Unfortunately, senator Mitch Mcconnell has refused for months to allow the senate to vote on these bills. Communities across america need to mobilize now to protect the right to vote in the upcoming elections. Every american can take action today to make sure their Voter Registration is active, to learn about their options for early or absentee voting, and to find their polling sites. I would like to close where i began at our hearing a year ago , last february. During that hearing, chairman cummings told the story about how he sat with his mother on her deathbed and this is what she said to him, and i would like to show this movie clip moving clip now. On my mothers dying dead at and 92yearold and a former sharecropper, her last words were do not let them take our vote away from us. She had fought and seen people harmed, beaten trying to vote. Talk about inalienable rights. Voting is crucial and i dont give a damn how you look at it. There are efforts to stop people from voting. Thats not right. This is not russia. This is the United States of america. Rep. Maloney like his mother, chairman cummings has now passed on, but his spirit is still here with us in this very hearing as he urges us with moral clarity to protect and defend the core of our democracy. You for coming, i want to thank our witnesses. I look forward to your historic testimony. And i now recognize the distinguished Ranking Member, mr. Jordan, for his opening statement. You, madam thank chair. And i want to thank you for your kind words about our former chairman and i would echo those sentiments. We all appreciate the work of chairman cummings over the years and the great things he was involved in and the causes he was involved in fighting for. And i would urge all of my colleagues to be here tomorrow afternoon, when the room will be dedicated to the late chairman. I also want to thank you chairman for calling this hearing and thank you for all of the witnesses that are here today. The right to vote in an election is the bedrock principle of american democracy. The right to vote has been expanded to all citizens regardless of race, color, gender and age, that requirement lowered actually to 18 years old. The most recent expansion to in when Congress Passed 1986, a law boeing servicemembers to vote while stationed overseas. We will remember that voting is traditionally a state and local responsibility. Some say voting is too hard and complications drive voters away , however a recent study contradicts these claims. According to a study 8 of , voters said they did not have time to make it to the polls and 5 said they did not vote because they were not registered. Additionally only 8 said they , did not vote because it was too complicated and only 3 said changing the registration process would motivate them to vote. In fact almost 90 of voters surveyed by the Knight Foundation said that voting was easy. States must ensure that access to voting is fair. We should not forget voting integrity must ensure that every eligible citizens vote is counted the votes are not stolen , or diluted through voter fraud. The democrats are going to try mass voter by releasing 13 cherrypicked documents from over 1. 2 million of pages in their monthlong investigation in the 2018 midterm elections. They are going to say these documents show an attempt to suppress minority votes, but they do not, they show little more than Election Officials to attempting to ensure honest and secure elections. That is their job. That is their responsibility. They show these individuals doing their job by ensuring only on the voterrs are rolls, and by taking any allegations of cyber crime seriously. One of the most backward allegations the democrats argued the state of georgia should not have contacted authorities regarding potential cyber attacks. Georgia does not produce proof that the attacks of the committee the attack did not occur. That claim is ridiculous. The real investigations is looking into the matter and cybersecurity experts unanimously found there was an attempt to breach of the voter rolls for the release of these documents is to distract from serious issues in our election like voter fraud. In california falsely registered 2018, 23,000 voters, including almost 2000 citizens. 23,000 votes could have changed the outcome of the 2016 president ial election in michigan, new hampshire, wisconsin or nevada. In new york thereve been 25 , convictions of voter fraud related to false registration and duplicate voting. Maryland, there have been eight convictions and i could go on her arm. Could go on and on. Voter fraud is a religion of the be addressed in discussion about collecting voter requirement should include how states are going to defend against voter fraud. I hope we can discuss this important aspect here today as well. Rep. Maloney i will now recognize mr. Meadows to speak about our dear friend of cummings. Rep. Meadows think you. Thank you, madam chair. I want to take a couple minutes to talk about my good friend representative cummings. I want to thank all the witnesses for being here and for your testimony that you are about to give. When you get to see the video of his passion and his willingness to engage, what comes to my mind two words fairness and , passion. Those two words not only were emblematic of a friendship that the two of us had but they were also characteristic of the way he conducted himself as chairman and his Ranking Member. Had the privilege to serve with him in both of those capacities. He is one of ours and make sure that the people who did not have a voice had a voice here in washington, d. C. You being here today certainly highlights that. What i want to make sure we do , which is the other thing he was willing to do, is to cut to the chase. Our private offices were diagonal from one another, just down the hallway and i would go in and being the member with less sonority, i would always go to that member and we would sit down and have very frank conversations on what legislation could do and what it did mean and the political ramifications. Here is i would ask. In the spirit of the two words for my good friend, effective and efficient. What i would love to hear from all the Witnesses Today are the ways that they can be most effective and efficient with legislation to make sure that every vote is counted and every individual has the opportunity to vote. So many times what we do is we try to put a big narrative based on real problems, but based on problems that may be isolated. We tried to put a big narrative on. And what i would ask all of you to do is in honoring my good friend Elijah Cummings, give specific examples on what you think that we can do from a federal standpoint to help address any issue that is discriminatory or disenfranchises any people or group. I thank you madam chair for your leadership. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. I yield back. Ep. Maloney thank you today i am honored to turn to our distinguished colleague from the district of columbia, congresswoman Eleanor Holmes norton, to introduce her witnesses. Congresswoman norton is a civil rights legend in her own right. As a young woman, she was a member of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee, or sncc, a Civil Rights Organization founded by young student activists, including two of our distinguished witnesses diane nash and Timothy Jenkins. Congressman norton organized rights as aor human student, as the head of the new York City Human Rights Commission and is the first woman to chair the u. S. Equal Employment Opportunity commission. She has continued to champion these charges, these causes here in the United States and throughout the world as a lawyer, and a scholar, and it 1991 as our colleague. Distinguishede representative from the district. I thank my good friend for her generous words. But i thank her most of all for giving me an opportunity to introduce the Witnesses Today. This is normally the work of the chair of the committee. Two of these witnesses were directly engaged in work to assure that there would be no state obstacles to the right to vote, and they must be very proud of how that work has in fact benefited millions of americans. They were in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement. My only regret is our colleague john lewis, who though not a member of this committee would certainly be here today if he could. He of course was chair of the s on Violent Coordinating Committee and i just want to note another of our colleagues is in the audience also and of alumni of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee, who i met in the pacific. These witnesses will have only five minutes to appoint the rules of the committee, so i hope particularly the witnesses can give us what we have got to do now in renewing the voting , talk about their own role so that we can have , something to compare what we through today in Voter Suppression. What they have experienced as a student activists. And their perspective from that period can best inform our work in combating the obstacles we face now in the house in renewing the Voting Rights act. Im pleased to introduce our witnesses. Dr. William barber, president of repairs of the bridge and cochair of the poor peoples campaign. Diane nash, civil rights leader and one of the Founding Members of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee. Tom jenkins, also my law School Classmate and a Founding Member of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee. Today he is an attorney and an activist, and currently serves on the boards of teaching for a change and it Civil Rights Movement archives. Finally marcia johnsonblanco is , the codirector of the Voting Rights project for the Lawyers Committee for civil rights. Thank you very much madam chair. Rep. Maloney thank you very much. We had hoped that john lewis would be here to be our lead witness, but now ask unanimous consent to place in the record his statement. So he is certainly here with leadership and in spirit. Thank you. I will begin by swearing in the witnesses, if you will all rise and raise your right hand. Do you swear to affirm that the testimony youre about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Let the record show the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank you and please be seated. The microphones are sensitive so please pull them to you and speak directly into it and without objection your statement s will be made part of the record. Jenkins, you are now recognized to provide your testimony. Mr. Jenkins the heading for the hearing today, learning from the past to protect our future. I would add my subtext of riding todays echoes of past political exclusion. My name is Timothy Jenkins and in the 1960s i was as was mentioned one of the Founding Members of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee. I served as the chief lobbyist before the United States congress during the tumultuous events surrounding the drafting of the ultimate passage of these of 1965. Ghts act i am here today to advocate needed additional legislative remedies in the face of renewed connivance is to undercut the Historic Success of that earlier legislation. And not to mention legitimate interpretation of the constitution. While im here as a sncc survivor, i do not want america debt, that interracial and interfaith trio of james chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were of the sncc members who were murdered in 1964 in philadelphia , mississippi, while working as unpaid volunteers seeking to enable black citizens the right to vote. We the surviving members of the student nonViolent Coordinating Committee find it is still our vital duty now, just as it was when we were formed in the 1960s , to never allow america to falter in her commitment for the equal protection of all citizens. We have staked our lives based on our faith that this country must uphold the intentions to continuously strive to form a more perfect union. And established justice. Establish justice. The loss of cheney, goodman and schwerner is a great reminder of the atrocities that we suffered when we the people were allowed to refer to some, rather than all. In the south, our tactics for expanding Voter Registration among minorities and challenging historic acts of Voter Suppression proved to be especially fruitful when a proposed provision offered in our 1963 legislative testimony was enacted in section 5 of the Voting Rights act of 1965. I would think it useful for members of the committee to look at the testimony that we 1964 that gives in some 100 pages more than i can give in the fiveminute that i 5 minutes that i have today. Because in that testimony it , enumerates graphically all of the kinds of abuses that police through to try to get people registered to vote, which are now not part of our current dialogue. I urge those of you who have the energy to look at the legislative history in the congressional record of that testimony and the invitation that was given to us by the chairman of the judiciary committee, and our testimony was submitted before the judiciary committee. This provision has since, in our testimony with the Voting Rights act of 65, been gutted by the Supreme Courts decision in shelby versus holder in the year 2013. A ruling based on the false contention that the prevalence of discrimination in this country is outdated. In 1963, when robert moses joined with me and Charles Sherrod to describe the inner our testimony the immense and intense obstacles that africanamericans and how we had to mobilize the community to encounter and counteract those abuses. More recently in both georgia and mississippi, through private and public measures of intimidation, africanamericans were purged from voting. There is proof that such discrimination and discriminatory procedures are still at large today, as evident in georgias recent removal of 100,000 names from the rolls and rapid closure of polling although the forms have shifted, echoes of the past and exclusion still haunt the will be persistent plaguing the future we do not mend the legislative cracks in our system that divide us. If congress believes that voting is a fundamental right of every u. S. Citizen, it is now the responsibility of congress to enact a franchise for all people. This is not a question of the ability of congress that the congress, but the willingness to adopt and enforce laws that will save guard minorities against any exploitations pursued by a tyrannical majorities at the local level. In 1787 when confronted with the question of whether we were going to have a monarchy or we were going to have a democracy Benjamin Franklin responded, it will be a republic if you can keep it. Unfortunately, centuries later in our year, 2020, we have yet to demonstrate a republic that is generally representative index simplified by the unequivocal protection of fundamental rights. The prime example is the fact that the crusade against voter fraud is more propagating or legislative initiative than the facts. The phenomenon that is providing adequate proof of existence does not exist. According to election experts and members of congress themselves individuals are more likely to be struck at lightning than to commit an inperson voter fraud but in inperson voter fraud seems to be the only focus of todays actions of voter protection. New to the statistical evidence to warrant the burgeoning of states enforcing strict signature requirements and photo i. D. The American People have questioned the purpose and implication of this. To the authority allowed by Shelby County versus older the , other approaches in Voter Suppression, minority groups, the disabled, low income and elderly individuals are being eliminated from our political system at an alarming rate. The frequency of these different actions is something that requires major initiatives. When the constitution was originally adopted the use of people, did, the not include blacks, women, Indigenous People or those without property. Can you summarize . You are well over your time and close your we have to keep up to our schedule. Ive submitted to the record my written testimony and one of the things that i would like to have in this dialogue that we pursue is an opportunity to enlarge upon the beginning of what we were saying because theres an african expression that a river that is a gifted that forgets its source dries up. We, the people of the day for yesterday want to talk to the people who are the people of tomorrow. Thank you. Ms. Johnsonblanco you are now recognized for your testimony. Chairman maloney, ranked member jordan, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony regarding Voter Suppression in minority communities today. My name is marcia johnsonblanco i codirect the Voting Rights project where i oversee the project and efficacy portfolio. Almost seven years after the holdercounty versus decision, we are in danger of undermining the progress made by that act. The national Civil Rights Organization created at the request of president john f. Kennedy in 1963 to mobilize the private bar to address issues of discrimination. From the beginning a major part of our work has been combating voter discrimination. In striking down the formula that determines which jurisdictions the nation had to submit voting changes the Supreme Court conceded that voting discrimination still exists. No one doubts that even admonishing to this body the formula should be based on Current Conditions. Current conditions showing voting discrimination existed at the time of the shelby decision and continue to today examples today. Examples of discrimination which is disproportionately impact the ability of minority voters to vote are using procedures like exact match not to process Voter Registration applications. Challenging and removing voters from the rolls, cuts to early voting, restricted voter i. D. Requirements, closure and consolidation of polling places, excessive voter purges, aggressive rejection of absentee ballots, violations of laws requiring voters with limited English Proficiency in various to returning citizens upon completion of their significantly the department of justice has been largely absent in the face of this voting discrimination. These types of voting the Justice Department has filed three bills against voting discrimination. Decision,shelby voting changes discriminate that wouldve been cleared under section 5 of the Voting Rights act. By contrast the lawyers , committee has brought 14 cases involving voting changes, 11 of which were in jurisdictions formerly covered by section 5 of the Voting Rights act. In short, efforts to block access to the ballot continue. Findings of discrimination that were present when the Supreme Court decided the Shelby County decision illustrates that Current Conditions exist and do require not only the full protections of the Voting Rights act, but robust enforcement of all federal laws. The department of Justice Needs to do more. It needs to be more of a partner with organizations like the Lawyers Committee who fight against voting discrimination. It is important that Congress Acts to ensure that there is no backsliding after many decades a after a many decadestrajectory enter a manydecades trajectory of passing laws to ensure the prominence of art democracy that all eligible citizens have access to the ballot. This has begun with the passage of the for the people act, h. R. 1 and the Voting Rights advancement act by this body and this important work must continue to ensure that we dont backslide and all eligible voters have access to the ballot and that their votes will be counted. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Nash you are now recognized for five minutes. Chairwoman maloney, Ranking Member jordan, members of the committee, fellow citizens i want to begin by noting the work of reference james. He was my former husband who is now deceased for james and i were partners in our work on the selma right to Vote Movement which was one of the major efforts that led to the passage of the Voting Rights act of 1965. Our son is present today and contributed to the forming of my statement for this committee. The letter from chairwoman maloney inviting me to testify at said the hearing will examine , current barriers especially , those in minority communities in exercising their right to vote and lessons from the Civil Rights Movement about how we can overcome these barriers to ensure the 2020 election is free and fair. Many nonblackn voters are in a worse place now than we were when the Voting Rights act was passed in 1965. Then we did not have citizens , united. Citizens can afford to make Campaign Contributions and those who cannot afford to make large contributions do not have parity with wealthier voters. We need to establish one person, one vote. Progress had made the signing of the Voting Rights of 1965 but i believe Supreme Court justices kennedy, thomas alito voted for theo Voting Rights act knew that removing the provision that required states to receive federal approval for changes in voting procedures would result in the curtailing of Voting Rights for minorities. I did not leave for one second believe for one second that they really thought the provision was no longer needed as Justice Roberts wrote. We knew the results would be gerrymandering and voting suppression and those five justices knew it also because they are as smart as you and i. So, five justices of the United States Supreme Court suppressed Voting Rights and undermine d democracy deliberately. Sometimes those opposed to the enslaved africans have equal rights undo progress in Civil Rights Organizations spend years working to recover progress that was unnecessarily rolled back. They give us a hamster wheel on which to run. James chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner jimmy lee, Jackson Viola lee, reverend james reed and others lives were taken. People were beaten into unconsciousness. People from the 10 and permanently injured. Families were evicted from their homes in order to obtain the right to vote. I dont appreciate what those five justices did. In 1867, the u. S. Supreme court chief Justice Roger cheney who wrote for the majority wrote that the new girl had no rights which the white man was found to respect. Legislation to restore measures when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights act is needed but it is not enough. To stop there would be a hamster wheel. We need legislation to get money out of political campaigns and have government funding of political campaigns. We need to abolish the Electoral College. Political parties need to eliminate superdelegates. All these exist because some citizens try to gain advantage and have more power than other citizens. We need paper ballots so that the vote totals can be done if documented. If we expect Foreign Countries to respect our democracy and not meddle in our elections, we need to stop interfering in their elections. We need to stop the regime change when a country chooses a government that the United States administration doesnt like. You reap what you sow. The chickens come home to roost. What Goes Around Comes Around and a proverb said it comes about overtime because they contain truth and wisdom. How would we like it if another country did not approve of a president we elected and they proceeded to bomb our country as country and install someone acceptable to them as head of our government regime change. You have to practice fairness yourself, not just when you are being treated unfairly. We should all be constantly looking for unfairness and trying to correct it. Some examples that i want to cite are i think at the beginning of the primary season during the first couple of debates, all candidates should be given equal time to speak. Since television is how most people become familiar with candidates and what they stand for, networks should have to give equal time to candidates at least for a reasonable period at the beginning of the primary season. Networks should not be allowed to usurp the function of voters by attempting to influence the outcome of elections by featuring some candidates and ignoring others especially early in the contest. Early in the process. When i received the invitation to testify before your committee i decided that if i could make a today, contribution, even a small one towards stopping the slide of our country away from democracy in towards authoritarianism, it would be well worth it to travel here today. Forces that want to send the United States of america into an authoritarian government controlled the presidency, the department of justice, the majority of the senate, and the majority of the Supreme Court. Even as he loses the election of november 2020, i cannot envision President Trump making a concession speech. Rather, i can only believe that he is likely to say the election was unfair and in fact he won. My counsel is that we should decide now exactly and specifically. Keywords are exactly and specifically. Who will remove him from office should that scenario occur . Dont be caught at the time trying to decide whos going to remove him. Just like the intelligence apparatus is being reshaped we should assume similar efforts are going on in the military. When people in the 1960s were risking their lives to get the right to vote, we really thought if we got a number of blacks and tensioned in tensioned rightin nonblacks and political decisions the lives of black people as a whole would be improved. What we didnt see coming was that individuals would be elected and would consider their positions their personal jobs instead of representing their constituents and that many would be more concerned with being elected for additional terms instead of representing to the best of their ability their constituents. The Civil Rights Movement in the southern United States follows many of gandhis teachings. Being truthful was one of his most basic teachings. When a person or country has gotten off the path truth will lead went back to a better direction. One of the principles of nonviolence is that it is a mistake to cooperated with wrong things. Some examples of what i think a think were mistakes about a year before president obamas term was over the senate refused to consider the president s appointment for the Supreme Court. Republicans were allowed to get away with that. Democrats were fond of saying no one is above the law yet when persons ignored subpoenas you are well past your time. Can we wrap it up now . When persons ignored subpoenas by the house of representatives, they were allowed to be above the law. Violators should have been treated like most americans are treated if we ignore subpoenas. Marshalls should have arrested them in Court Challenges should have been worried about later. When Brett Kavanaughs nomination for the Supreme Court was in question and only a sham investigation took place he was allowed to become it justice. A justice. Documentssses and were denied as evidence in the impeachment trial that was allowed. The government should have been shut down until all the documents and witnesses you wanted were produced. You should still shut it down until you get the documents and witnesses you want. They were necessary in order to have a fair trial. I want to remind you that your written testimony will be made part of the permanent record and we are now at almost 10 minutes when your time allotted was five minutes. Chairwoman maloney, with deep respect before i left chicago has sent a copy of my statement and told the staff how long it would be and told them if i would not be allowed to finish the statements then i wouldnt , come. Thank you for making that point. Please continue with your statement. Thank you. They were necessary in order to have a fair trial. Now those documents and witnesses are necessary for voters to have the information we need in order to cast influenced votes in november. The house of representatives has more power than youve been willing to use. You can stop funding certain items. Be proportional. Smaller issues require stringent measures. Very important matters require serious responses. What are you putting up with now . Is the senate refusing to act on the bills you sent them . Are some of those bills designed to protect our elections including the election of , november 2020 . You can stop cooperating until what you need to have happen happens. To persons who were fired or resigned from this administration please do not go away quietly. Speak up, hold a press conference, tell the voters what is happening. We need to know so we can make informed choices. When youre dealing with people like those in the Current Administration who are willing to be unlawful and to disregard the constitution, who were taken promptly to violate the oath you have to be emboldened. You teach people how to treat you as dr. Phil says. Democracy and the republic are being assaulted. The democratic elements of the government and small d democratic elements in the government and we citizens had better begin to act accordingly. Our grandchildren and their progeny are depending on us not to allow the republic to be lost on our watch. I was the coordinator of the freedom ride to desegregate interstate bus travel in 1961. Before they boarded the buses, several freedom riders gave me envelopes that they asked me to mail in the event of their death. The Founding Fathers in mothers took up arms against the king. If they had lost the revolutionary war they would have been executed. It took work and sacrifice and courage to establish this republic. Keeping this profound gift the republic they obtain for us will continue to take work sacrifice and courage. Like Irving Berlin my fear is creator will stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above. God bless the United States of america and all the people of this planet. Thank you. Thank you. Sitting in the presence of the mother of the movement and we applaud our mother for her courage. [applause] chairman maloney, may i stand for an aba issue . Absolutely. I want to thank the chairwoman and Ranking Member and although Congress Persons that are here. Ive sent in extensively written words to this committee that have been entered into the record. I want to say that even from recent history and the continuing reality of Voter Suppression there are some , things we must know. I come from North Carolina, where we have seen the worst attacks. What is it we now know . Racist that gerrymandering plans can be implemented and state legislatures in the south and other places will justify and will draw racist plans that create super majorities that are as one judge has said, unconstitutional and disenfranchised black, brown, and native voters. We know that after being unconstitutionally constituted statement in the legislature and congressional delegation, they were seated. They were lying about voter fraud as a pretext for passing racist butter suppression laws targeted at black, brown and poor voters. We know this experience especially in the south, where the south represents 170 of the 270 electoral votes to win the presidencies. When the presidency. We call this in the courts have called this, surgical racism. For instance, after we had one won early voting for 17yearold, as soon the shelby decision came down, stripping the Voting Rights of the preclearance requirements. , now thatature said the headache has been removed, we can begin. And they started rolling back the voting extension of emerson used in the previous two election cycles. It took us four years in court, to turn backests what should have never been passed, by the state legislature in the first place, because as a federal court said and the Supreme Court affirmed it was , surgical and intentional racism. That is why i wish my good friend, mr. Meadows, was still here from North Carolina. I wanted to ask him to be a friend that he claims to be with Elijah Cummings, and support his vision to deal with Voter Suppression. Because if you cant support my truth, friendship is really questionable. Since 2013, Senate Leader mcconnell and Speaker Boehner and ryan worked to Keep Congress from fixing the Voting Rights act. Today is 2437 days that republicans in congress refused to fix the Voting Rights act, and some democrats have refused to make this a central issue in campaign and politics and push hard enough to expose what is going on. Toom thurmond refused filibuster the civil rights in and we called him a racist. Congress has refused to fix the Voting Rights act for 2437 days today. We dont know all that russia did, but we know what Voter Suppression has done. Let me be clear. A politician, and statehouses and congressional delegation, who benefit from racist Voter Suppression, share a policy agenda when they get into office. They have worked as a block to measures andoverty banning access to healthcare, laws against low willing low living wages. They blocked politics, they hurt poor white people the most. It 66 million raw numbers, and 26 million in her black people. Earned income tax, and longterm unemployment. This is a great and ugly thing irony of Voter Suppression. Obtain power to and once they get the power to exercise it in ways that hurt mostly poor white people, which dr. King spoke of at the end of the selma to montgomery march. Every time there was a possibility for poor blacks and whites to come together and vote in transition to society, we always have these efforts. Black and brown percentages in raw are poor but in numbers more white r. It is nothing more than james crow esquire in a suit perpetrating as a racist in a suit rather than a sheep. So the poor peoples campaign, a National Call for moral revival has identified the necessaryfied the, investments in democracy and equal protection of the law which we believe are linked morally and constitutionally. Number one we demand immediate , restoration and expansion of the Voting Rights act left a with a formula coverage, here me, democrats that ensures , coverage and reinstates at a the formally covered states and jurisdiction and an end to racist gerrymandering and redistricting and recover Early Registration of 17yearolds, automatic registration at the age of 18, early voting in every state, sameday voting, and the enactment of an election for holiday and verifiable paper. Right for the firmer and currently incarcerated. We demand Adequate Funding for polling paces to adequate voting. We demand statehood and Voting Rights and representation for the residents of washington dc. We demand the reversal of state laws preempting local governments from passing minimum wage increases as removal of and the removal of financial manna visions that are unaccounted both to the democratic process. We demand that native americans and alaskan native people retain their tribal recognition as nations, not racists. Not make subsequent claims to their sovereignty and a full access to the ballot. We demand a clear and just immigration system that has our strengthens our democracy through the broad participation of everyone in the country. This includes providing a timely citizen process that guarantees the rights to vote and also requires protecting immigrants facilities to organize for the rights in the without fear or workplace and their communities without fear or retribution, detention or deportation. We demand equality and safety of all persons regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and we demand equal treatment and and accessible housing and health care, Public Transportation and adequate income and services for people with disabilities. We call for a full televised debate on Voting Rights on Voting Rights. Full televised debates. We declare that Voter Suppression is sin. We do not need to include to suppress the vote, is to impact, given to citizens 18 years and older so to suppress the vote is to infect suggest that you have entered a god space and you can determine other peoples reality and to suppress the vote is to suggest other people do not have you. Ame image of god in suppressing the vote is a form of political and theological idolatry and sin and it has no once in this democracy and call on wednesday, i those who have voted against right to vote and who have lied about voters and have pushed suppression and smile to repent. Repent, for the bible says woe unto those who legislate people and rob the poor of their rights and make women and children their prey. [applause] thank you. I now recognize myself for five minutes for questions. The Voting Rights act of 1965 put an end to many abuses that you have testified to. Recently we have seen a renewed effort to suppress votes through voter purges and pull closures and other tactics. Our committee has been investigating many of these abuses. For example, in georgia, the state purged more than 500,000 rollsns from the voter before the 2018 election. In texas, the state issued an advisory claiming erroneously that thousands of people had illegally voted and threatened these individuals with criminal prosecutions and in dodge city, kansas, a majority latino city, local officials moved the only polling place outside the city and gave the wrong address to some new voters. So my question to you, what impact do these tactics have on minority communities. In short, they keep the minority voters from being able to access the ballot. These laws that have been passed, the way they are being it lamented, have a disproportionate impact on minority voters and our litigation has shown that to be true. When for example, a county in georgia rejected absentee ballots, it was disproportionately against minority voters. The exact match that georgia implemented that did not allow for Voter Registration was disproportionately implemented against minority voters. So when these laws are passed, what they do is in a sense, keep what they do is in essence keep minority voters from the ballot. Barriers claim they are starting to stop they are trying to stop voter fraud. Is this legitimate . No, it isnt. They are keeping eligible voters from the ballot. ,n the texas voter id case records shows there were 600,000 registered voters who did not have a restricted voter id that texas required. So and i slitted of voter fraud cannot be used to keep thousands of legitimate voters from the ballot. The taxes and literacy tests from 50 years ago, todays voter society suspension suppression disproportionately impact what black and brown communities. You believe is motivating the states that are aggressively pursuing the right to vote . Sometimes they are in fact, they seem to be on the face but the court say it was intentional. We were actually told to try not to prove intentional racism and we knew it was intentional and we proved it in the court. We also had the democratic shifts driving this. We know right now that if you register areas where the black and brown and white are enforced and 30 of black voters to vote you fundamentally change all the Southern States. We know the battlegrounds are those 170 electoral votes are just 14 states in the United States. We also know that in our state, we saw a massive increase in voting after we won same day registration early voting. The first thing that this legislature did was they went after sameday registration early vote. They did not stop a program to extend the vote from being implemented. They took program the voters had already used in two election cycles that was critical in 2008. They rolled back. What citizens had actually used two election cycles, because of the fear of the coalition of black and brown and white people come together when we have access to the ballot. Thank you my time has expired. I am grateful for all of the witnesses for your tireless work to your dedication to protecting the right to vote. I recognize the man from georgia for as much time as he needs, because many people spoke past their time. I appreciate that. Thank you, madam chair. And i will stay within my limits. I think each of the witnesses here and for this hearing, the purplish purpose of which is to make sure that there is no Voter Suppression or voter fraud. We want to maintain voter integrity in this country. I want to speak specifically to some issues in georgia that have come up that are misleading and just wrong. I want to correct the record on some of those things. The fact it has never been easier to register or to vote in the state of georgia. In fact, this last election, all demographic groups had Record Number turnouts thats because of the efforts that have taken place in georgia to make Voter Registration and voting easier and more accessible to everyone. Midterm, election, 2018, had 55 of eligible voters in georgia actually voted. That is record and its in every demographic category. Or 2014 ofed to 2016 38 . In 2010, it was 40 . And now 55 turnout. That is 17 better than the previous midterm election. I am proud that within those statistics that the turnout of minority groups across the board dramatically increased compared to 2014. Africanamerican turnout, for example, increased 32. 5 . American, inasian the 90 percentile, increased. These are drastic increases because the effort not to suppress to get voters of all democratic demographic groups to participate. And i know that we went to Great Lengths in georgia. In fact, in 2016, we started the automated Voter Registration and 2016, many other states have participated as well. But again, it has never been easier in georgia for people to register. Its never been easier in georgia for people to actually vote. And yet we are examples have come up and heard mentioned that some 53,000 georgians were not allowed to register. Their applications were placed on hold at the secretary of states office. That is just wrong. In the first place, processing Voter Registration in the state of georgia is not even handled by the secretary of state. It is handled by the local counties. It is on the county level where the Voter Registrations are taking place. If someone in a county has a problem with their Voter Registration, they received a letter from their county, not from the secretary of state, and in that letter from their county, they were told that their status is pending. They were told why it is pending. They were told what needs to be done to correct the problem. And then it may surprise some in this room, they were told the letter they could still vote. Yes, they could still vote. They had to show up and they were also told the location where to go. All they had to do, they would get a ballot like everyone else and they had to come with a voter id, just like everyone else in the state of georgia has to show up with, but they could still vote. That is reasonable. Every effort in the world was made to let them know what the problem was, how to correct it, and where to still go vote and that they were allowed to vote. And the allegations here are just not true. Some other things comments were made that the county and state officials closed more than 200 polling places pretty forget places. That is very misleading. In the first place, state officials cannot close pulling locations. That again for something this done on the county level. But secondly, our most populated counties and areas in the state of georgia, added polling locations. Thats been taking place since 2012. And thirdly, there was notable increase of individuals voting thoroughly. Early. This is extremely important. Since 2014, georgia has seen hundred and 25 percent increase 125 increase in early voting. And again, it is counties that handle the polling and so forth, not the state. There was another allegation that hundreds of Voting Machines were missing. The truth is that is because a federal judge ordered those hundreds of Voting Machines held up because of a lawsuit that was taking place by some activists in the three counties involved in that urged the judge to reconsider, because it could affect voting. Repeatedly the plaintiffs , counsel refused to cooperate. Ici have gone over by 30 seconds and said i wouldnt do that and i appreciate your indulgence with that but i did want to set some of the record straight as it relates to georgia. And with that, i yield back. Gentleman from the district of columbia is recognized for five minutes. It was interesting to hear the gentleman georgia recount the many ways georgia has reading r idding the state of some voting abuses. We know that is true because democrats took back some seats. I just want to cite that half a million voters who were purged and most were people of color. My color question is, i looked at other states to have something to compare georgia with. That is why my question goes to purging. In ohio, which is not under the many, act, almost as 460,000, wisconsin 200,000 purged. So, because we would have i what the to understand response to some purging, what purging means that may be legitimate and may occur in northern and Southern States and having or not we are purging that might be a violation of the Voting Rights act. Us what you clarify would be legitimate purging and the kinds of purging when you get half a million voters purged , involve some errors or some intent. Congresswoman norton, there is a difference. On the Voter Registration act, Election Officials are allowed to remove people who have died, who havent moved from the voting area, but there is a process. They must first reach out to those voters and then ensure they are no longer in the residence and in their jurisdiction before removing them. Haveederal election cycles to pass two. If you have been purged and you learn about it, you cant cast a vote. Will you be delayed and are you going to come back and vote e . They are showing up in finding out they are not on the role. This happened in new york where voters were removed after they hadnt voted in the past election in violation of the national Voter Registration act. In georgia, in lawrence county, challenged and in Hancock County because they were challenged and removed in violation of the national Voter Registration act. There is a process for legitimately removing voters. But when that is not done, that is where we see purges. A study by the center for justice has shown that the purges are happening disparate personally informally colored formally covered jurisdictions. The clarification is important. Purges the result in a person having to leave the voting place and come again, it seems to me ought to be disallowed under the bill so that we do not in fact say you have to come to the polls two or three times in order to finally be able to vote. Were looking for ways to make sure the voting acts right is relevant to todays practices. Ms. Nash, could i ask you to compare the kind of voting suppressions that you encountered as a young person and the kind of voting suppression that the witnesses testify to today. There in the similarities . Yes, there are. Both water contaminants and now are often based on White Supremacy and discrimination against minorities. Neverack then, we were told directly that we are discriminating against black people. Instead, there were literacy tests. They said people cant pass the literacy test would not be allowed to vote. And then went right ahead and registered white people who didnt pass it. The literary tests were ridiculous. You would be told to write state constitution out from memory. Or au left out a comma missed word, then you are failed. They were not honest about it. Taxes were another thing. They didnt say were we are discriminating against black people. They charge poll taxes when black peoples wages were virtually starvation wages. Thats the similarity. People are never honest and straight up and truthful. They have subterfuges and complications and i think we should just make the complicated things simple. Thank you very much, ms. Nash. I now recognize the gentleman from texas, mr. Roy, for five minutes. This. Nk you for holding the last time i talked to chairman cummings at length son was here for a hearing and we talked and were regaling the mutual affection for the baltimore orioles. Into spring training and hopefully the orioles will come out of it and have a breakout season in honor of the chairman. I was thinking about him yesterday when we were talking about the orioles. The issues we are talking about here today are of the utmost importance. They strike the core of who we are as american citizens and ensuring we all have access to vote, all have access to take part in our democratic republic. One thing that i would like to make sure to clarify for the record. I do think its important. I spent a number of years as a lawyer for senator john cornyn , the judiciary committee, including the time here during the years of 2005, 2006, and 2007. Or i should say 2004, 2005, 2006, when we were debating voter rights act in 2006 pretty led to themately shelby holding in 2013. At the time, there was a great deal of debate and discussion. At the time i was counsel on the , subcommittee on the constitution, i think civil rights or Property Rights is what it was called at that time. All of the staffers in the room knows you are spending hours into the wee hours of the morning weeding records and looking at the data. Striking at the core in 2013, far from being, justice thomas, far from being racially motivated decision about Voting Rights this is a decision about , data. It was the data that was being 1964, 1968, and 1972 data was being used to justify b. Ction 54 and i think it was rightfully so. 2006 based ontify 1972. Rom 1968, 1964, that is what the court found and i think they were correct about that. I dont think that should get lost in the discussion because wasad a record and it filled with anecdotal situations where race might be a problem or obstacles to voting around the country. If you look through the antidotal records, youll find them dotted all of the country. And in many cases in estates that were not covered by section five, they were anecdotal examples. Theformula being used in 2006 reauthorization was flawed. The court rightfully acknowledged that congress got it wrong by driving through a rushed reauthorization that was based on flawed data. So what congress should have done was gone through the examples where it existed and opticals obstacles existed scattered around the country and not looking at the preclearance states which were defined by 1964, 1968 and 1972 data as the record reflected at the time in 2006 and that is with the justices found in 2013 in shelby. The only other thing i would note is this last weekend my family are members of a large baptist in downtown austin, church texas. Weve been going to a different church, a Presbyterian Church closer to our home, and i went in there, walked to the door, and there was a former colleague of mine the Attorney Generals Office of the state of texas. David whitley. His name is scattered throughout a lot of these documents because he was the former secretary of state of texas. He is working to try to figure out what levels of voter fraud exist in texas. Voter fraud exists in texas. It israel. The question is the number. The numbers released last year which others acknowledged that were wrongly put out prematurely, those numbers were wrong. And he acknowledged that. He lost his job for it. I talked to him. He was walking through with his wife and daughters and he is a nice guy. He felt bad the data got released that way. It was wrong. They found later that at least a quarter of those numbers that had been naturalized citizens and ultimately voted. There were thousands in that pool where there was an indication of voter fraud. It is a problem we are dealing with in texas, in particular because of a very porous border which we have discussed at length in this committee. I just ask you to remember that these are real human beings trying to deal with real problems. We should all be able to vote and there should be no obstacles to that. With that, i will turn it back over to the chair. , the gentleman from tennessee mr. Cooper, is recognized for five minutes. It is my impression, i was going to yield to the reverend dr. Barber because he is under time pressure. Dr. Barber, i would be happy to yield to you. Thank you so much and thank you to this committee and actually get to the Ash Wednesday service. I would like to talk three things in my human brother from georgia, all of your arguments were tried in the courts and they do not work. The fact that you say we have more people voted. But also as an argument of segregation. They used to say that just because some people made it through it wasnt really that bad. None of that has ever held up in court. This argument of voter fraud has never been brought to court because it cannot be proven in court. You also said Voter Suppression is not the real issue that voter fraud is. Yes Voter Suppression is the issue. In North Carolina in 2018, had 154 fewer voting places in the black community. In 2014, tom tillis when the senate seat by less than 50 of the boat by 40,000 votes and a study was done that said 75,000 votes were suppressed. Votesook, it said 250,000 were suppressed in wisconsin, even though they claim to have won by 30,000 votes. We cannot continue to take oaths and just lie. Record numbers of turnouts have more to do with people fighting against regression then it has to do with them not being affected by Voter Suppression. And then lastly i would say, in North Carolina, we had a law already, if you line you get lie, fived you years of felony. There was no voter fraud. Its a way of not dealing with real Voter Suppression. And finally to those who say that we need a new form, i dont agree with that theory because the states never quit. We have to remember on the record that every state that was under the original Voting Rights act, all they had to do was act write for 10 years. Stop terminating for 10 years. Stop suppressing for ten years. Dont pass any bills for 10 years. The democrats in the south and republicans could not resist it. They could have all been removed. But for ten years and republicans have now exasperated exacerbated it because they are now arguing in court that retrogression is legal, because the Voting Rights act preclearance is no longer in place. We heard that in court. Retrogression is legal. A federal judge from South Carolina, he was white, he said why is it that you all dont , want people to vote. And the whole courtroom became quiet, because a friend, that is the ultimate question. Interested ine retrogression than progression . God bless you. The gentleman yields back mr. Cooper has remaining time. There is no more revered name and national tenancy, and ms. Nash. I thought, out of all of the testimonies were compelling, that her testimony when she said and i quote, line voters and , many nonwhite voters are the worst place now and they were in 1965. Act was passed how sad of a statement is that. We have heard several statements today about how we have gone backwards instead of forwards. Mentionednd dr. Had we are days over and delaying. There are forms that we need to had. Ust to restore what we he just had the statement that retrogression is legal. That is just fancy word for going backwards. So why is this happening to us today . I do my best to be bipartisan. My friends on the other side of the aisle, this is the type of red tape red tape that they really love. Is when it hampers voting. Sadly, my state of tennessee has gotten really good at it. We discussed this last year, and tennessee passed last year as well. The first built in america that would make Voter Registration efforts criminal when struck down by a local federal judge. Now they are amending the bill have 50 fines for instance. Many of these are minor infractions. That is just like a poll tax in advance, and it could put many of these organizations out of business. It seems to be the ultimate thing. Thats how we are sadly going backwards. But the congress of the United States, people forget and i wish mr. Roy were still here. There was Key Information that was forgotten about the renewal of the Voting Rights act in 2006. There was bipartisan unanimity in that. In the house of representatives, 39033. Our republican friends were enthusiastic in renewing the voting process. I am hopeful we will pass hr one. I am hopeful that we will get to the senate. I am hopeful for more than that. Most people dont realize its really not an affirmative constitutional right in our constitution for the right to vote. We have many Voting Rights amendments. Thats mainly to prevent discrimination. That allows states free reign to suppress the vote. I am hopeful the 28th amendmentwill be the people chair amendment that our has championed for a long time. The 29thit be nice if amendment absolutely guaranteed people the right to vote. And we sometimes take these for granted because its not really written down in our own constitution. If we could all show some of the courage that diane nash showed when she was 21 years old. She went to jail while pregnant to stand up for her basic rights. Thats the sort of courage that Congress Needs to show. Thank you ms. Nash, youre an icon. All of you, mr. Jenkins, you are amazing. We need to learn from your fine example. Thank you for that very moving statement. The gentleman from kentucky. I think i heard you say that concerned about the franchises, for the minorities when they exercise the right to vote. What i said is that in texas, litigation shows the court found, that the voter id while in texas, disproportionately discriminated against minority voters. States need to look at the impacts of the lows on eligible voters. When we do our litigation against these laws, that is what we are looking at because in the law that makes it more difficult for eligible voters to vote is a problem. Some states have a photo id requirement to exercise your right to keep and bear arms. Some states do not have a photo id requiring to keep invite arms. We know in the states where there is no photo id requirement, there are more people who exercise that right. The concern that photo id requirements for the right to keep and bear a firearm, would also the same reasons, disproportionately affect minorities. I am not an expert on the Second Amendment and the impact it has on the minority voters. What i am concerned about is laws that keep people from being able to vote , you know, in our texas photo id litigation, we had someone who said you have to choose between the kitchen and voting because she could not pay for the underlying documents that were needed. But can you see how it would have the same effect . Im just asking do you believe that it could possibly disenfranchise minorities in the same way that it does when voting . Im trying to understand your question. Are you asking me, if minorities have less access to guns because of photo ids to their arms . That is correct. I dont know the answer to that question. You mentioned the poll taxes and how they would disenfranchise the poor and maybe in some cases disenfranchise minorities. Correct . Mainly disenfranchise blacks in the report. States require a fee to Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in some states do not require a seat for a person to exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Washington dc, is a jurisdiction we do have to pay rather hefty fees to keep and bear arms. You believe that requirement, the monetary requirement is also disproportionately disenfranchise africanamericans from their rights to keep and bear arms. I do not know. I would have to study the issue. Can you explain why . Can you explain why it would not . It seems like a pretty straight analogy. Timereally prefer to take to think about things. I can give you a spur of the moment answer. I am not sure what that would be. I think that would be a responsible. , let me ask everyone here some of you have mentioned, and i wish the reverend was still here, but some of you mentioned there are too many barriers for people who have served a in obtaining the right to vote again after they have served time. I would like to ask you, do you believe that a nonviolent felony offender who has served their time should have the right to keep and bear arms restored . Yes. I think after they pay their debt to society that all of their lights rights to be restored. Do you believe that a nonviolent offender who has served their time should have that right restored . That is not something that i have looked into. The segment i believe anyone who has served their debt to society should have access to all available rights. So that would include the to keep and bear arms and own a firearm. Potentially, like i said, i would like to know more about that. Is there a reason why you would not let them have that right guaranteed . Theres no reason that i can think of at the moment. I cannot think of one either. Mr. Jenkins, when you restore the right of a nonviolent felony offender who a certain time to keep and bear arms. If there are no other considerations to disqualify him , there is the absolute right for people to have political rights. I do not see that there is equivalency between that and bearing of arms. I think thats one of the fundamental things that we are here to talk about is Voting Rights. We should not be about a bait and switch to have a discussion about arms when the issue is Voting Rights. We need to have this ability to do this. You sound very passionate, [applause]line you sound unconcerned about these laws that it seems to me that you all would agree disproportionately disenfranchise minorities from exercising a basic constitutional right. I am just wrapping up. I know my time is expired. I want to say that im glad it looks like we have unanimous agreement here at least nobody here asserts that somebody should be deprived of a constitutional right such as the right to keep and bear arms if after they have served their sentence, if they let the record show the nobody is died because of their being deprived to right and bear a gun. What we have is a registered that is absolutely false. I have a staffer who works for me whose husband was shot in front of her. The gentlemans time has expired. You have indulged of the other members. All right, finish. What you are saying mr. Jenkins, is absolutely incorrect. For me. Woman who worked and she watched her husband be gunned down in front of her. Do not tell me or hurt that nobody has ever died because they were deprived of the right to keep and bear arms. This, thatell you the whole business of being able to vote, is not intermixed with the business of bearing arms. You are taking the time that were trying to deal with a constitutional right to be a citizen, turning it into something else. Use another form. We dont have many opportunities to get a right to vote. We dont have an opportunity to talk about the whole business of the way in which the constitution has been distorted. And dont take us off on some rabbit trail talk about this the constitution is not some rabbit trail. You look somewhat disingenuous when youre not trying to pick and choose his own constitutional right. I am trying to pick and choose the subject matter of this hearing. The gentlemans time has expired. Thank you. Mr. Jenkins, you just saw, and experienced, the distraction that occurs on the other side of the aisle because they dont want to talk about Voting Rights protection. If we start with the constitution of the United States, the first think that we should be concerned about is protecting the sacred franchise of every american to be able to vote. Instead, he wants to talk about gun control because he is uncomfortable apparently talking about youre right and my invite and my right to vote. This country has experienced an epidemic of Voter Suppression measures. Since republicans took over statehouses and governors mansions all across america, strict voting id laws that many people especially people of color cannot meet and they know it. Whimsical purges of voting roles, layins of americans, because they missed one election , capricious, denying them the right to vote. Robo calls to tell people in the event of an election that their precinct has changed or warning them that there will be all kinds of people of the voting place to make sure nobody will commit voter fraud. That is intimidation. Would you agree with the proposition that we are talking about at best, that voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent. Actual voter fraud in the United States is extremely limited but the fact that almost 40 of the americans do not vote, even in a president ial election. Call me silly, but that might be the bigger problem. Not voter fraud, but the fact that we do not have universal voter participation. Not even close. Would you agree . I do agree with that. Thats not an issue we need to be concerned about because the whole business of voter fraud, is itself a fraud. The fact of the matter is that we have adequate protections on the business of Voting Rights when it comes to the question of fraudulent defenses. What i think we need to be clear we are trying to describe ways to address the fundamental right to participate in this democracy, we ought not confuse that with a side issue of something that is irrelevant to the is nyssa being a citizen. I could not agree more. If you do not want to talk about Voter Suppression and participation. You got to distract public attention with something else. Theres a video playing right now. The chairwoman mentioned a hearing that are late chairman 20 after the 2012 election. We had a hearing in my district about this. It was called river oaks. It was at that time the only majority precinct and a very large one. And those lines snaked outside for hours because of a breakdown in Voting Machines and there were no replacements. It just so happened this was virtually the only precinct in the whole county where this is happened. This is showing them the lines inside of the school but frankly, it took my intervention to get that to happen. Otherwise on a cold cold day, all those people were outside with children, taking off from work to go vote. It may not have been intentional. It probably was not. But the fact that there was no backup, the fact that it only happened in this precinct, was something quite striking. Mr. Cummings and i listened to the field hearing to better understand how this happened. So may not be deliberate. But it was definitely voter discouragement, de facto. In river those people oaks were not going to be discouraged in 2012. I can remember going up and down the line, saying please stay. And they were saying dont you worry. No ones going to take away our votes. They were aware of the sacrifices. You mentioned mr. Jenkins, to allow them to have this right to vote. And they were not about to let it slip away because of a lack of Voting Machines. Thank want to say that i all of you for being here. This is a sacred topic. It is a passion for most of us appear. We cannot allow herself to be distracted. Voter suppression is wrong. Anything that impedes the ability for people to vote or discourages them indirectly or directly is wrong. And we have to fight it wherever we have to face. Too many people as you remind us sacrificed a lot for that right to be reasserted for us to finally honor this amendment. We will continue that fight until we prevail. Im very proud of the fact that the majority state capital of virginia, we have rolled back Voter Suppression measures we made it easier for people to vote early taking with the requirements of some appendix some kind of excuse. We will continue to do that, and i hope it will be a national movement. [applause] i would now recognize the congressman from wisconsin. First of all, i would like to put into the record, the Heritage Foundation has 1085 examples of voter fraud. One of the witnesses i think said inappropriately is something that does not happen. Weve got about 40 here in wisconsin. They are running off the other thousand or so, as a down payment. Without affection without objection. Thank you very much. Second thing. Its obvious to me reason we have photo id. I sponsored a bill and voted for it in wisconsin because we want to avoid fraud. It is a concern that people are going to say they are somebody who is on the voter rolls in the art and not going to be able to know whether it is that person or not. I know somebody who claims that her mother who is deceased turned up as having voted in the city of milwaukee. This is why we do this. Ive got a couple of general questions. Are many things in society that you have to do that are arguably more important at least on a personal level and voting. Maybe you need prescription and in some states, welfare benefits, going on an airplane, you may need to go on all theseortant trip, things, you need a photo id. I can imagine if you do not have your id, the inability to take prescription drugs, to get on a plane, that would really shake up your life. But for some reason we never hear of people complaining about that. I flew out last night and had to show my id. It would have been a real mess for me if i did not have one. Nobody ever screams on these issues. I wonder why the advocates who why such a big deal here, things like prescription drugs, some public benefits, that we arent screaming you should not have a photo id . I think the reason is we are intelligent enough to be able to focus on what the issue is. We are not dealing with prescription drugs. You are not answering the question. We are dealing with the right of people to vote. That is what we ought to address. Dont take us off on some other track. It has nothing to do with it. We will give you another question. Countries,any other mexico to our south, just looking on the internet, other countries in which you refer to people of color, mexico costa rica, brazil, madagascar, zambia, thats just the tip of the iceberg on the number of countries that have photo id. Why do you think all these other countries feel that it is important . You have despotic countries all around the world that want to repress their people in any way possible. We are not dealing with the other countries. This is our country who has our constitution and who has said we the people are supposed to be able to exercise our right heres what offends me about this. Youre charging people who want photo ids because you want to make sure that people who are voting, are who they said they are pretty you are claiming racism. The point i am trying to make out to you is that there are so many countries around the world including countries that are nowhere near as multiracial as our country and they all require photo id. I dont think when costa rica or mexico require photo id, i think it is out of the reason that i say. It is because they do not want people voting claiming their somebody who they are not in that sort of thing. Its very inflammatory to say this for any other reason. Do you have any evidence . These dozens of other countries around the world that are requiring photo id, i would think is for the same reason i am for it. I dont want people cheating. You have any evidences or any other reason for all of these other countries to have photo id . They are not democracies that are parallel to ours. They do not have a constitution of the United States like ours. They do not have a system that guarantees you are trying to introduce irrelevancy about costa rica, mexico and other places that have no bearing on the United States constitution and the way in which people should be guaranteed the right to participate in their government. Thank you. My five minutes now. First i want to say thank you to the whole panel for coming and testifying and giving us your insights and perspectives. Momentnect us to a noble in american history. Bank we thank you for the sacrifices you have made. Mr. Cooper invoked the strange absence of universal affirmative constitutional right to vote in the u. S. Constitution. We have of course a sequence of ad hoc antidiscrimination amendments that were abstracted from the social movement. The 15th amendment said no race discrimination in voting. The 19th amendment said no discrimination based on sex in voting. Nowhere, do we get to find in most of the other constitutions in the world, which is a universal command of everybody having the right to vote at every level of government. If you look at the new south africa constitution, that is why we are in the business of fighting to reconstruct rights that were dismembered by a five justice conservative minority and treating this like some kind of Administrative Commission demanding more from to see what our evidences for exercising our powers. My question for you, is it constitutional right to vote on the agenda of the Civil Rights Community today . It is something that the Civil Rights Community is looking at. We are very concerned that a lot of the restrictions that are being imposed, are being imposed because there isnt an affirmative right to vote in the constitution. We do however acknowledge that recognize the rights of the jurisprudence of the courts and looking at the 15th amendment and the Voting Rights act. At least until Shelby County versus holder where the Supreme Court started to exercise strict scrutiny of congressional efforts to enforce the right to vote. I appreciate that. Jenkins, let me turn to you for a second. Both of you invoked the late colleagues and friends and others who have lost their lives fighting against political White Supremacy. There were many, people who were gunned down, fighting for the right of people to vote. I wonder, looking at the struggles today against the massive voter purges which is massive amounts of people since 2016, looking at the efforts to vindicate the right to vote against this constant undertow of efforts to shut down polling places and make it more difficult to vote. What do you think about the sacrifice of the people you have worked with back in the Civil Rights Movement . What do you say to their families today . Because i dont know how many people would actually give their lives in this cause. What do you say to their family and friends . Ms. Nash. I think people today dont realize how patriotic my people who fought for the right to vote were back in the early 60s, just quickly, i would like to mention that people who lived on plantations, and had 15 or 16 children would go down to the courthouse to try to register to vote. Someone at the courthouse will call back to the plantation and say your willie or your mary is down here trying to vote. By the time mary or willie got back to the plantation they would not have a job. They would not have a place to theirat their with huge family. They kept doing that and they knew that was going to happen because it had happened so many times before. But they did it for the collective benefit. I would have trouble talking to their descendents today, after those kind of sacrifices were made. I think presentday americans owe them, to reestablish the democratic right to vote. The right to vote is the basic units of democracy. One person, one vote. If we dont have that, i think we as a republic are in serious trouble. Mr. Jenkins, you have any reflections . I think the fundamental of the warp to vote is whoof of having democracy. The reason this country claims to be a democracy is because it allows everybody to participate in the way in which Public Policy of the countries been directed. And people who need to understand that that right is inherent in them being a human being and being part of the politics and the body politic of the United States. One of the things that worries me most is some young people, who are so discouraged by the way in which the suppression of the political situation is going on is theyve given up and walked off. I think it is fundamental that we recognize, not just a handful of names we know, but many that we do not know. I think one of the things we have to remember is fundamentally, we as a country have failed to live up to the ideals that we talk about when it comes to practice. Thank you, the gentleman from north dakota is recognized. Thank you, mr. Chairman. North dakota is the only state without Voter Registration. We are pretty proud of that and it is very unique but yet we , somehow end up in these conversations once in a while. We had a law that was challenged on voter id and 2012, went to as recently as three weeks ago, there has been a settlement reached between the lawyers representing the native american tribes in the state of north dakota. I dont pretend to know the particular and unique circumstances of every other district, but i do know that if you read the majority staff memo regarding north dakota, which states north dakota passed a law that required identification with the voters current residential street address in order to vote, a requirement that excluded native American Communities on reservations at dont often have street addresses. The law affected tens of thousands of native americans in north dakota in an Election Year in which kevin cramer won the 35344 votes. That statement is misleading at his most charitable interpretation. What it doesnt say is that in the prior senate race, the democratic candidate won by less than 3000 votes. It doesnt say that in the 2018 race, that that vote margin was just under 10 of the entire vote total. But probably more important, what it doesnt take into account at all, either through complete lack of diligence or intentional omission, is that native american turnout was the highest it had ever been in the last 14 years in north dakota. The Turtle Mountains have easily suppressed voting numbers from state and federal elections of the last four years the polls are still open. Quote from Turtle Mountain chairman. The county had the Turtle Mountain reservation reported 5102 votes on tuesday, the highest number in at least 14 years, including president ial elections. More than 1400 people voted into counties which is completely within this reservation, and increase of more than 200 voters from the 2016 president ial election. To imply that a Voter Suppression law which the court found valid was the reason our senator won the election is either intentionally not doing the research on what went on in north dakota, or intentionally placing things in the record that make it seem more severe than it is. It is not true. We are glad we have reached a settlement, we are glad to be the only state in the country without Voter Registration. Even in north dakota and even on native american reservations, we are proud of the fact we have the easiest access to the ballot in any state. It gets to be a little concerning for me when i see those things about something i know specifically about, that i was a part of, being portrayed in a way that simply not accurate. With that, i yield back. The gentleman yields back, i now recognize the gentlewoman from michigan for five minutes. Thank you so much for being here. I cannot express to you, mr. Jenkins, how much the spirit of the late chairman our forever chairman congressman Elijah Cummings spirit is being effective and efficient. I think you have helped to make sure that happens is a line of questions comes toward you. In the spirit of what mother nash is said is, how do we young complicate some thing that should be simple. I think you have been reiterating the importance we are democracy its in the constitution and so forth. It simple for folks to know the right for vote is guaranteed by the constitution. Congress has Clear Authority, Clear Authority to investigate any sort of any level of government to try to push back on any infringement of that right. So in the spirit of simplifying this as mother nash is asked us to do, what do you think these folks, which i will call pressers, what you think these folks are really truly afraid of . I think it needs to be out in the open. Why are they so afraid of us, People Like Us voting . Mr. Jenkins . It is a reflection on the history of america. As i pointed out in my remarks, when they talk about we the thele of the United States, excluded women, the Indigenous People, theyoor were making a definition of democracy that was only for themselves. Think wee things i have to raise over and over again, is many of the institutions that were created under that mentality are affecting us in a disadvantaged way today. I mentioned the Electoral College. Barb on the face of democracy in the United States. What it says is peoples real estate is more important than their lives. That is right. Systemmbalance the whole so if people who come from a state of a small population have the same power of states that come from with millions of people. After the remarks that were made , not one question was raised about Electoral College or criticism of it. That is fundamental. Able to deal with basic issues, not superficial issues. Chasing rabbits is not what congress should be doing. Thank you. What are they afraid of . They dont want us to dismantle the Electoral College. Landowners, protected that kind of classism that was going on and that form of oppression. Sureyour opinion, making it is harder for people who look like us to vote . , what i have seen in my work as mr. Jenkins alluded to as a democracy was not founded with all eligible voters would have access to the polls. And what we are seeing now, is that their attempts at the Voting Rights act gives life to the 15th amendment and broadens those who are allowed to vote. We are seeing both the challenge of the democracy making the Resources Available to ensure when theres robust turnout that everyone has access to the ballot. And we are also seeing laws that are being passed that affect certain types of voters. Theres been this argument about robust turnout, but is robust turnout in spite of. We saw the video of the long lines. That is a lot of burden on voters to have to have their voice heard. No voter should have to wait in hours long line in order to have their voice heard. And even if there is robust turnout, there are those individuals voted that i care about who are not having the opportunity to vote when they tried to engage in the franchise. Those are laws like the voting act. S i dont want you to get cut off, so i would love to hear about this. Having election day be a National Holiday is an important conversation. Getting rid of elect Oriel College is an important conversation. Talk about no reason absentees so we dont see these long lines is an important conversation. It should be easy to be able to vote here is an american citizen. But last words of wisdom to all of us and really getting back to the simplified, what are they afraid of . Why dont they want us to vote . Realizenk we have to this country was founded on genocide against native americans and slavery was an extremely fundamental institution in our history. Country has never confronted those facts directly and officially recognized those as at least mistakes. And done what is possible to do to make restitution. , as a result, White Supremacy is is still very much in this society. We look on the value of lives of americans,nd white and australians, and maybe israelis as much more valuable than the lives of people who are asian, african, and latin american. We have to confront that directly. Citizens who are white need to confront racist white people. On the partantasy thinky whites, where they as wealthy White Plantation owners that subject people of color. The president of the United States recently, while saying he welcomed people from norway, he mentioned immigrants from lelored countries as sho countries. We have to confront this kind of attitude across the board. Definitely. , think that in the south particularly during the Civil Rights Movement, white people were afraid if we get power, they would do to us what we did to them. There was a lot of fear around that but that did not happen. When is something to karma people know they have mistreated people over a period of time and they get afraid if they have equal power. There is a real emotional illness around race in this country. Thank you. Her time has expired. The chair recognizes mr. Armstrong for eight unanimous request. I would like to request to enter two articles into the record. One says voter turnout high across north dakota. The second one is from the Bismarck Tribune that says north dakota reservations see record voter turnout amid fears of suppression. Without objection. And without objection, the following report. The justice will be placed into the record. This report addresses claims that the Heritage Foundation 1100ent contains almost proven instances of voter fraud are grossly exaggerated and devoid of context without objection placed into the record. The chair recognizes the gentleman from maryland for five minutes. Thank you very much madam chair, and thank you to the panelists today for your powerful testimony. Im sure as you know, the first piece of legislation the Democratic Caucus brought to the floor of the house in 2019 was hr one, before the people act. Which was a broad anticorruption bill that addressed many, many things including voter access. Subsequent to that we brought hr 4 and that passed. Last week or the week prior, we brought congresswoman norton hr 51 into this country which provide statehood for the district of columbia and address the centuries old wrong. We are moving on this side of the aisle in the side of the capital to deal with the issue of voter access. One of the key elements among hr1,that was contained in many of these things congressman lewis worked on for years and legislation, it was incorporated into the broad package was automatic Voter Registration. Ms. Johnson, do you believe rational action to require Voter Registration across the country, nationwide would help americans exercise that right to vote . Far too often we see there are challenges to Voter Registration. There is an Election Protection coalition. We have a hotline. We have calls into the hotline were people are not aware they have to register to vote. Having the opportunity that allows them to automatically register to vote would definitely advanced participation in our democracy. There are two sides of this conversation, clearly. There is this whole issue around renewed i think, all of these things to play mischief with the franchise in terms of new Voter Suppression techniques, making people jump through hoops, hiding it through process based when we know what the intent is behind it. Having very specific provisions of law that can address Voter Suppression. In other words, address the negative things being done when it comes to voter access. At the same time, on the others of the ledger, we want to reinforce and establish things that can improve and enhance access and the franchise in this country. Automatic Voter Registration is certainly an example that was contained in hr 1. The bill requires sameday Voter Registration so eligible voters can register and vote on election day if they are not registered by that point in time. Speak to national sameday Voter Registration and how that might benefit some of the work to actually come back voter disenfranchisement . Support allely legislation that improves access to Voter Registration including , sameday Voter Registration. We want to ensure that voters, vote, theyhow up to we haveo, and often found that they were either wrongly purged or they were not aware they needed to reregister. That they show up and find they can so to register in real time will definitely improve access to the ballot. If we can change what is an Obstacle Course for people getting to the ballot box, to really put access on a glide path by offering these opportunities and those include as well increased online Voter Registration expanding early , absentee voting, requiring states at least offer the opportunity for voting by mail. We should be exploring every possible opportunity to make it easier for people to register. And to vote in this country. Last question, i invite anybody to speak to it if they would like. Another provision in hr1 would require the re enfranchisement of all persons convicted of a felony upon completion of their prison sentence. That was something very, very important. Nationwide restoration rights for those who paid their dues and serve their time. Could you speak to what you think the impact of having that provision come part of law. I think it is important to appreciate one of the phenomenon of the American Experience has been the criminalization of race. And the fact that people are often convicted for various things because of their racial orientation. The whole manner by which Law Enforcement has been racialized, has assured more arrests of black people than of white people. And when you have something piggybacks on that discrepancy, by having the franchise tied up with the right to vote, you are multiplying the effect of racism. I think it is important for us to disaggregate the whole question of criminal behavior from the question of racial identity. And until we do that, we will not have a solution of her democratic issues. Outstanding and thank you for your testimony i yield back. The gentlewoman from new york is recognized for five minutes. Thank you madame chairwoman and thank you to all of our witnesses, who are here today testifying at such a profoundly important issue. I think that one of the largest threats we face in our country today is the unmitigated assault on our democracy, and that starts with the assault arent particularly African American and black voters in our country. Last year, this candidate launched an investigation into state action that limit the ability of americans devotes including in the state of georgia. I want to talk about georgia. The georgia secretary of state reportedly purged more than half a million voters from the rolls. Locks thousands of new registrations and closed polling places all while he was a candidate for governor. The document that this document received confirmed many of those efforts, and for example, in 2017, the press reported that efforts to challenge Voter Registration quote may have violated federal law. In fact that candidate responded , to this by congratulating his campaign team, writing quote good work. This story is so complex folks will not make it all the way through it. Ms. Johnson, your organization has been active in georgia. What is your view on the border roll purges in that state . We have been very active, georgia keeps us very busy and fighting against voter discrimination. To answer your question that one of the things georgia did and i think that speaks of the impact of the purges is with the exact match law that georgia had, it points to how something that the Supreme Court, from the voting the exactointed match law was the first a procedure by the secretary of state. And what we won the litigation against that, Legislature Passed into law. And then we had to bring two more lawsuits to fight against this. Now we have a third lawsuit because the exact match law still applied to those who are naturalized citizens. They are not only aggressively removing voters from the rolls but preventing voters and getting on the rolls. I am curious, what you think of a top election officer in the state of georgia congratulating his team over these reports . I am speechless. Things wee of the those whohere we have are charged with carrying out our voting laws are also running for office and abusing that thats a problem. It is out in the open. It is so out in the open that this committees investigation also shows that as georgias secretary of state, mr. Camp, he worked with the white house and the kansas secretary of state with noted ties to white supremacist organizations and individuals. Financial ties, and organizational ties. They served together to protas to produce and promote the president s failed voter fraud commission. Lets talk about this voter fraud. The president s allegation that there is mass fraud in United States. They put together a commission when it was forced to disband because they had so little evidence. Their own commission had to be disbanded. What is the connection between the false claims of voter fraud pushed by this administration, and his allies, and the Voter Suppression efforts in georgia and elsewhere that you have observed . I think the false narrative of voter fraud is used to pass laws that keep eligible voters from being able to vote. These laws disproportionately impact minority voters. Courts time and time again in striking down the laws show they disproportionately impact minority voters. In fact, the Fourth Circuit, is striking down North Carolina voter id law was targeted with precision with minorities. The court also said it imposes cures for problems that dont exist. If i how are all these may, efforts that were seeing today, any different from what we fought against in the Civil Rights Movement several decades ago . I think we have seen an updated version of what we fought against. One of the things it was really striking for me when i was working on the record that did show voter discrimination when congress reauthorized the Voting Rights act, is the focus on the implementation. We had a commission a national , commission on the Voting Rights act that was a congressman from alabama who had , to take a literacy test. His literacy test was who was the first president of the United States . That was not the same test that was applied to africanamericans as you heard. We have laws that are seemingly neutral on their face but upon their inflammation they showed that they disproportionately impact minority voters. Thank you very much. Gentlelady yields back. Without objection gives without her colleague and leaders in conscious on these issues, john lewis and the great state of georgia will be inserted into the record. We now recognize the gentlelady from massachusetts for five minutes. Thank you madame chair and for convening this timely and incredibly important hearing. I had a written statement, but to be frank im still seething , from what occurred in moment ago. I guess it is impossible anymore to be disappointed when you are no longer surprised. I serve on this institution and committee with colleagues across the aisle who deny science, the climate crisis, who believe that because weve had a black in adent, we live postracial america. Who think that being poor is a character flaw, who believe that we still live are we ever did live in a meritocracy. Who espouse the redemption of christ love and grace, but only believe in Second Chances for select few. So i should not be surprised that they think we are being dramatic about Voter Suppression. Forgive them father for they know not what they do. I just wanted to say thank you, to have the honor to serve in congress with your fellow freedom writer, john lewis, and i wonder if some of the comments that were said here today my colleagues would ever say directly to john lewis, who they considered to be a national treasure. But i digress. Lets get to the matter at hand. I just know i am 46 years old and ive been Movement Building work since i was 10 years old. My mother worked in chicago. Harold washingtons campaign was the first one i worked on. I would not be here is a first person of color and black woman to represent massachusetts in the house of representatives, that took 230 years. And i know i owe a debt to each of you that i consider that. So i just want to say thank you, and i apologize and completely disassociate myself from the comments that were said by my colleague across the aisle. Want to talk about is mass incarceration. Certainly, our mass incarceration crisis is further exacerbated by the many challenges that we have already enumerated here today, and these issues. Americans ofck voting age are disenfranchised on the account of this broken system. And they continue to have their bodies, whether they are being warehoused included the census , for the Community Search words they are usually housed. That is a conversation and debate for another day as well. We have seen some states moving reenfranchisement those incarcerated. You pointed out the passage of florida. That would reenfranchise one point formally in people. But now is it is newly restored rights in florida under attack. I think it is comparable the 11th circuit which recently ruled against the provision that the legislature imposed to those who had their rights restored under amendment four noted that the fines and fees law places those returning citizens who can pay at a disadvantage over those who can pay. So with the new law is saying is that in order for you to have your rights fully restored you have to be able to pay for a fundamental right that 65 of your fellow citizens said that you are entitled to. Of thethe purposes record, what should formerly incarcerated individuals ensure they can exercise their newly restored rights. Kentucky restored Voting Rights 240,000 people. The record, what should they do . They should make sure they vote and register and vote and take advantage of these new laws and rights that have been afforded to them. Very good. To ask ast wanted question or make a point. In 2018 in georgia, setting polling locations were suddenly closed by republican lawmakers election. Had the Supreme Court not gutted that in 2013 the closures would have been blocked by the doj. ,ithout oversight from the doj republican lawmakers acted variously. Sayeject false choices that access to the polls must be bartered between vulnerable and disenfranchised full. With the valance balance of my time i urge my colleagues to pick their heads up and give access to everyone. Thank you so much. I know recognize the gentlelady from new mexico. She is recognized for five minutes. Chair. K you, madam thank you for your wisdom and truth for being here and for your dedication to fighting this extremely important issue. Over the past decade, many states have decreased peoples access to voting by closing and moving polling places. Last september a report from the Leadership Conference found that Southern States have closed more than 1000 polling sites since the Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County horses holder, remove free clearance requirements from states that have disenfranchised black voters. You can see it on the screen, this is a map from the Leadership Conference report. I notice down there alaska, which has a large number of native folks living there. We have also been disenfranchised. Ruling, texast has closed 750, arizona 320, georgia 214. Many of these sites are in minority neighborhoods. Increase inn an closing of polls since the shelby decision . Been have and we have working with our partners on the ground to as much as we can replace and get notice of when the pulling places are expected to be closed and have very effectively worked with communities on the ground to show the impact that it would have on them if the polling places were closed and not just closed, but also moved. In georgiatuation where the plan was to move a polling place in an Africanamerican Community to the sheriffs office, despite the communities objection communitys objection and it was only after that they were stopping that move to the sheriffs office. What we are finding without section five of the voting act, communities have to be extra vigilant to push back against these closures and their impact. I think you have talked a little about this, but what is the impact of these efforts on communities of color . Are nownities of color finding they have to do extra work to fight back against those who wish to suppress their vote. This is not a burden that should be on those communities. Particularly those with a history of discrimination in voting should have to show the movingof laws like polling people until they before they are allowed to do so. States have restricted access to polls through id requirements and eliminating early voting in certain locations read for example, north dakota asked a lot in 2018 that required identification with the voters current residential street address in order to vote. A requirement that excluded native communities on reservation that often do not have street addresses, because they dont necessarily need them. Were it not for tribal leaders in those areas to act fast and work extremely hard to enfranchise voters in these native communities, ruth anna buffalo, a native american woman, may not have been elected , thereby defeating the man who penned that oppressive bill. So sometimes democracy still does work in spite of the efforts that people go through to make it not work. Too in 2018, florida try prevent public universities from hosting an early voting facility. Early voting at Texas State University at san marcos with limited to three days for most other areas had two weeks. Ms. Nash, thank you for your ,assionate testimony earlier very grateful to have you here. Isanted to ask you, why early voting so important in protecting peoples right to vote, especially in communities of color . I am not an expert on what is happening right now with the voting, but i understand that inre is heavier voting communities of color during the early voting process. That is a good thing. Thank you so much. Madam chair, i yield back my time. Thank you, the gentleman from missouri, congressman clay, is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, madam chair and thank you all for being here today. It was found that 16 million voters were purged between the elections of 2014 and 2016. That is almost 4 million more names that were purged from then between 2006 and 2008. Post shelby, it is notable that the higher purge rates ticked up in the parts of the country that have a demonstrated, documented history of discrimination in voting. Our ancestors knew the value and ifer of the ballot ox, even it was a life or death endeavor. Thee suppression efforts of past were steeped in violence and intimidation. A shameful part of our nations history. My me talk briefly about states history, missouri. The day i first got elected to congress in the 2000 general election, i was in court that day challenging what was then list as the inactive voter , we forced the court to keep the polls open an additional three hours that day so that people who were standing in line could still get into vote. And then the First Press Conference the day after, might republican u. S. Senator called the fbi on me to investigate, and sure enough, the results came back that the missouri secretary of state was involved in a violation of the Voting Rights act. That was the result and then we way them change the whole they purge voters so that they wouldnt violate peoples Voting Rights. Let me ask you, starting with mr. Jenkins. Occurrencee initial of how we suppress votes in this country and i guess in the 21st century. That was bushgore election. It was a National Strategy on the part of my friends on the other side of the aisle. To suppress communities of colors votes. We know that since 2000, it has picked up. Mr. Jenkins, tell me what you think is the best way to combat these initiatives like georgia to stacey abrams, they first violated the rights of those people attempting to register to vote and then they couldnt get to court fast. Nough to stop the purging what are your recommendations on what we should do to combat this agree just behavior . One of the things we need to the connections between the economic consequences of any changes in voting laws that have the effect of making it more expensive, costly, or impossible for people to meet those new requirements it is important for us to connect business requirements the business of fines, requirements for photos and all , of these businesses that require transportation to remote places, all have racial consequences. And it needs to be sophisticated in our opposition to those things. And one of the things i think is critical is to have in our educational system, the whole business of civics again. Again so people are aware of the connection between voting in and their right. It is alarming to note, that in many, many, many states, the whole is no subsidy education Civic Education has now been eliminated from the curriculum. So people do not learn, when they are in grammar school, junior high and high school, the connection between political exercise and the control of government and the control of their own lives. I think it is important for us to have alternatives that come from beyond just governmental sources. One of the places i have had some impact on, is in this thing called teaching for change. This has been aimed at Public School teachers to get them to understand that they can be a voice in their classroom and have people understand their civic rights. I appreciate your response. The witness may answer, this is a historical hearing on a historically important, major issue for all americans. Ms. Nash did you want to answer . 02 40 55 my time is run out in my time is run out in my friend from maryland has given that she hasnt given me his five minutes yet [laughter]. Go ahead. I think we need to keep up the drumbeat of what is in hr one. It has passed and it needs to become law. On thing we need to do as civil Rights Groups is mount a campaign urging voters to check their Voter Registrations before going to the polls and make sure that they are registered. We have also had to bring litigation against an active, improperly placed inactive voter. Olls it is a multipronged strategy that we need to engage in. Inc. You. Ms. Nash, very quickly. I think the suggestions are certainly important and i agree with those. I would just add, i know it is necessary to counter and to address these issues like fraud in voting and purging and what have you. I would caution against allowing ourselves to be limited by the agenda that the opposition presents. And i said earlier, they give you a hamster wheel to run. They give you a problem and you can spend years satisfying that problem and saying you need to address those problems, but also dont beat limited to them. Really look at what needs to be done and address all of them. I am particularly worried about the 2020 election in november. Thats one of the things that is the issue of this particular hearing. Measures that are necessary in order to make that a real and fair election. With the senate not considering the important bills that this body has passed i dont want you , to let them do that. Inc. You. Thank you. If anyones interested i would be happy to share some of our tactics with the civil rights. Thank you so much. I want to thank all of my colleagues for being here. I think this is a historically important hearing. I am humbled to see so many incredible leaders from the Civil Rights Movements. That includes our friend and colleague, eleanor norton. Ms. Nash you are a heroine to , many, many people in our country. I wanted to share with you that we have not only passed important legislation on Voting Rights, but we passed a bill to create the first and only Womens Museum in the country dedicated to the contributions, winning for contributions of women like yourself so that our young girls and boys can learn and be inspired by your work. I am honored to have you here in our room. And thank you so much, ms. Johnson. You are making history right now with your Important Court decisions. You mentioned many of them today in your testimony. And mr. Jenkins here historic leadership. I am going to put in a bill based on what you said today, civics is being removed from the curriculum in the Public Schools. That is wrong. Everyone should study this struggles to win the right to vote in the Civic Responsibility that we all have to vote. I want to return to what i said in my opening remarks, which we heard again so powerfully from our witnesses, and that is that history is repeating itself. And in more sophisticated, complicated and more difficult challenges with the Citizens United decision, and with the Voter Suppression tactics that we are hearing that have been updated for today, and some states still are trying to put new barriers to voting. The house has passed critical legislation, want to point out that leader Mitch Mcconnell has not even allowed a debate on these important bills on voter rights, much less a vote. Need to getans ready and ensure we can protect and exercise our right to vote in 2020. I want to close in remembering our dear friend and colleague, Elijah Cummings. This was the main vision of his mother and of his lifes work. We are continuing with these hearings in his honor. And i am inviting all of our colleagues to come back to this room at 4 00 tomorrow. We are going to be naming the first hearing room, after a member of congress in history and black history month. There is not one room or facility in the capital named for an africanamerican congressman. We are changing that tomorrow. With his family and i hope everyone comes back to share this important event and honor his memory as we do with his hearing today. Again, i am honored to have all of our witnesses. You have all done such an incredible job with your lifes work and with your testimony today. Thank you. I now recognize representing minority. Thank you for letting us do all of the talking. I feel like going on for about a half an hour. I know there are so many people back home listening to this hearing and they want a break. So we will let you adjourn. Allithout objection, members will have five legislative days in which to submit additional written questions for the witnesses to the chair which will be , forwarded to all the witnesses for their response. Witnesses to please respond as promptly as you can. This hearing is adjourned. [applause] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] [indistinct conversations] President Trump speeds at the annual conservative action conference. Live today at 3 p. M. On cspan, on live online at cspan. Org or on the free cspan app. The South Carolina primary is tonight. Join us and hear the actions to the result. It live coverage tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan, on demand and sees vice pres. Pence on cspan. Org or live the radio app. Journals washington live every day. Coming up sunday, the american conservative magazines jim mantel and a discussion of campaign 2020. Be sure to watch washington journal sunday morning. Join the discussion. 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