Kildee-Sponsored Voting Rights Legislation Passes House

WASHINGTON—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, today voted to pass major voting rights legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to strengthen our democracy and protect every Michigan citizen's right to vote.

The Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act would:

• Make Election Day a national holiday
• End partisan gerrymandering and limit special interest money in politics
• Ensure automatic, same-day voter registration
• Expand early voting, including during at least two weekends before the election
• Implement no-excuse mail voting
• Provide resources to serve voters with disabilities and overseas/military voters
• Restore parts of the Voting Rights Act previously struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court

"The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights afforded to every American citizen in our democracy," Congressman Kildee said. "Unfortunately, many states, including Michigan, continue to pass laws that have made it harder or more complicated for people to vote. This voting rights legislation is important to strengthen our democracy and make sure that every citizen has access to cast their ballot."

Kildee has been a champion for voting rights in Congress, including by previously supporting:

• H.R. 1, the For The People Act, the most significant voting rights and democracy reform in more than half a century. H.R. 1 would fight big money in politics, protect voting rights, end extreme partisan gerrymandering, and strengthen ethics in government.
• H.R. 4, theJohn R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, to restore the Voting Rights Act to protect the right to vote. The legislation would ensure that states and jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations would have to pre-clear any election changes with the U.S. Department of Justice.