On the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Senator Gallego Backs John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

WASHINGTON –Today, on the 60th anniversary of theVoting Rights Act of 1965,Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)announced he is supporting theJohn R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the originalVoting Rights Act.
This legislation is especially relevant in Texas where, following historic disapproval of Congressional Republicans’ tax bill, Texas state lawmakers are looking to add five additional Republican House seats. The move comes in direct response to President Trump’s fears that voters may flip the House in the 2026 midterms.
“The Voting Rights Act used to be a point of pride for both parties. In 2006, Republicans and Democrats unanimously reauthorized it together. Now, the GOP is doing everything they can to destroy it,”said Senator Gallego.“I first met John Lewis when I was running for Congress. He came to Phoenix to help turn out young voters because he believed that everyone’s voice deserves to be heard. Passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is about keeping that promise and showing the American people that every vote still matters.”
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s damagingShelby Countydecision in 2013—which crippled the federal government’s ability under theVoting Rights Act of 1965to prevent discriminatory changes to voting laws and procedures—states across the country have unleashed a torrent of voter suppression schemes that have systematically disenfranchised tens of thousands of American voters. The Supreme Court’s decision inBrnovichdelivered yet another blow to theVoting Rights Act, by making it significantly harder for plaintiffs to win lawsuits under the landmark law against discriminatory voting laws or procedures. These cases severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
TheJohn R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Actrestores the protections of theVoting Rights Actand enables all voters to experience free and fair elections.
TheJohn R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Actis endorsed byhundreds of organizations.
Read full text of the legislationHERE.
Read a section-by-section analysis of the legislationHERE.
8/6/25