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Congress Must Not Roll Back Our Voting Rights Gains!
Take action! Urge your representative to oppose H.R. 4844
Less than two months ago, Congress voted -- by overwhelming margins -- to renew and restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Throughout the debate, members of Congress expressed their commitment to protecting the fundamental right to vote. But the House of Representatives is now considering legislation that would undermine this important, bi-partisan victory and disenfranchise some of the very citizens that the VRA is designed to protect.
The “Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006” (H.R. 4844), sponsored by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL), would require all voters to obtain and show government-issued photo ID proving their citizenship before they could vote. In the vast majority of states, drivers’ licenses do not currently require proof of citizenship and thus would not meet the ID requirements of H.R. 4844. So what this would mean in practice is that voters who do not bring to the polls a photo ID that verifies their citizenship – such as a passport – could not vote.
Congress should be in the business of encouraging full participation of its citizenry, not developing ways to limit the right to vote. The House is expected to vote on H.R. 4844 as early as Wednesday. Use the box on the right to take action today!
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) has urged House members to oppose H.R. 4844. Click here to read LCCR’s letter.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Protect Voting Rights. Oppose H.R. 4844!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I urge you to oppose the "Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006" (H.R. 4844). I was pleased when, in July of this year, Congress voted to renew and restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA). But H.R. 4844 would undermine this historic reauthorization effort by disenfranchising some of the very citizens that the VRA is designed to protect.
H.R. 4844 would disproportionately impact people of color, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, rural and Native voters, the homeless, low-income people, and married women, who studies show to be less likely to carry a photo ID. And by requiring voters to pay for photo ID and proof of citizenship, H.R. 4844 is the equivalent of a poll tax. Further, proof of citizenship may be impossible for some voters to obtain. For example, until recently, it was common in some parts of the country for people to be born at home, without obtaining an official birth certificate.
The right to vote, and to have your vote counted, is the most important civil right of all. Proposals like H.R. 4844 are one of the greatest threats to fair and equal voting rights today.
Congress should be in the business of encouraging full participation of its citizenry, not developing ways to limit the right to vote. I urge you to oppose H.R. 4844.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
September 18, 2006
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