Texas Rep. Marc Veasey launches Congressional Voting Rights Caucus

WASHINGTON
Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, and a cross-section of Democrats in the House of Representatives on Tuesday announced the formation of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus to gin up support for an update of the Voting Rights Act.

The new group, supported by the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Asian-American members and non-minority legislators, is focused on getting Congress to update the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court struck down key provisions in 2013.

“Hours following the Supreme Court ruling, states across the country, including my home state of Texas, immediately began enforcing laws that courts had already found discriminated against minority citizens,” Veasey said at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol.

The Texas lawmaker, elected in 2012, is determined to strike down the state’s photo ID requirements, which he said were difficult for many citizens to meet and acted as “voter suppression.”

Veasey is the lead plaintiff in Veasey v. Abbott, a case over Texas’ voter ID requirements that was heard Tuesday by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans. Abbott is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. About a dozen House Democrats joined Veasey at the Capitol on Tuesday as members of the new caucus said they would push for Congress to update the voting rights law, which passed in 1965, one of the most turbulent years of the civil rights movement. There are 58 members in the caucus, with more expected to join.

“Texas has been particularly impacted by this,” said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas. “It’s time for us to make sure that in this great democracy . . . people are not being kept from the ballot box.”

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said the Supreme Court had left it open for Congress to act. “What has happened since that date? Nothing. Crickets.”

Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., representing the Hispanic Caucus, said, “It’s hard to believe that people who run for office are the ones that keep people from participating in the electoral process.”

Becerra is being mentioned as a possible running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who is the front-runner for the nomination. “In the Latino community, 27 million Americans today have a chance to go vote,” he said, repeating an exhortation to vote in Spanish to Spanish media at the event.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., said, “I would not be standing here as a member of Congress if it were not for the Voting Rights Act.” He said he thought Republicans were engaging in a “cynical political strategy” by not moving on the Voting Rights Act in an election year.

Veasey said there would be a big impact in the November elections. “We are about to experience the first presidential election without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act,” he said.

In order to get a decision in time for the elections, the Veasey forces in the Texas voter-ID case secured Supreme Court consideration if the 5th Circuit does not issue a ruling by July 20.

Before that, however, the Voting Rights Caucus wants June 23, the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling, to be a “day of action” to raise awareness about the quest for Congress to rewrite the Voting Rights Act.

A roving protester on the Capitol Hill grounds interrupted the last few minutes of the news conference when he yelled through a bullhorn while riding a bike behind the speakers. One member went and spoke to him and Capitol Hill police officers finally managed to get him to ride away.

“It’s not illegal to be out here and be loud,” said one officer, who would not give his name because he was not authorized to talk to the news media.