Every week we put our Faith into Action at All Saints Church — and this week we are joining the NAACP in petition urging Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act.

As a result of the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, there are currently no states or jurisdictions which are required to comply with the “preclearance” directive under Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  This means that states or jurisdictions with a proven history of discrimination are able to make changes to their election laws and policies without proving in advance that the proposed changes will not disenfranchise any voters.

The US Supreme Court made it clear that Congress can fix this problem and pass a law to replace the criteria for which states or jurisdictions must comply with Section 5 “preclearance.”

Congress needs to hear from their constituents that the JOHN R. LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT to restore, repair, and strengthen the 1965 Voting Rights Act is a priority and MUST PASS!