WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections and campaign finance law, issued the statement below following the Justice Department’s announcement that it has filed a lawsuit challenging legislative maps adopted by Texas Republicans, alleging that the redistricting plan violates the Voting Rights Act by discriminating against Latinos and other minorities.
“We are seeing a coordinated effort to roll back voting rights across the country, including through gerrymandering,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This lawsuit underscores the importance of passing the Freedom to Vote Act to put an end to discriminatory redistricting and set basic national standards to make sure all Americans can make their voices heard in our democracy, regardless of what state or zip code they live in. This comes just a week after a new Texas law went into effect that restricts the freedom to vote. Our democracy is at stake, and we will not back down until we pass these reforms to protect it.”
As Chairwoman of the Rules Committee, Klobuchar has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote and increasing access to the electoral process. In September, Klobuchar introduced the Freedom to Vote Act -- legislation to improve access to the ballot, advance commonsense election integrity reforms, and protect our democracy from relentless attacks -- alongside Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), all members of the voting rights working group convened by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The Freedom to Vote Act would ban gerrymandering by ensuring states follow specific criteria for congressional redistricting, including strengthening protections for communities of color, making judicial remedies available for states’ failure to comply with the criteria, and allowing states to choose how to develop redistricting plans.
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