Terri Sewell to co-chair Congressional Voting Rights Caucus

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Alabama’s lone Democratic in Congress, can add another title to her already impressive resume: co-chair of the newly formed Congressional Voting Rights Caucus.

Created in response to the alleged voter suppression tactics enacted by states since the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act in its 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision, the Caucus held its first press conference Tuesday to announce its formation.

According to the caucus’ website, it will work to “help educate the public about their rights as voters, advance legislation that blocks current and future suppression tactics and brainstorm creative ways to bring our election process into the 21st Century.”

“A democracy means nothing w/o every American having the same access to the ballot box,” Sewell said on Facebook after the press conference.

Co-chaired by Sewell and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas, the caucus already boasts 49 members, including well-known Democratic U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Elijah Cummings of Maryland.