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59 years later,

their force has taken us back in time. Voter suppression, election

subversion, unlimited dark money, extreme gerrymandering. John Lewis is a great friend to many of us here,

but if you truly want to honor him

and all the heroes have marched with him,

then it's time to do more and then talk.

Pass the freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Act.

Hello and welcome to the excerpt I'm Dana Taylor at the State of the Union President Biden called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

This bill would update the Voting Rights Act of 1965, strengthening legal protections against discriminatory voting policies and practices.

It's since been hampered by Supreme Court cases in 2013 and 2021 that removed preclearance provisions and made it harder to sue to stop

discriminatory practices. An outspoken advocate of voter protection and fair

elections. Mark Elias joins the excerpt to talk about the challenges voters across the country

are facing and describe his efforts to guarantee equal access to the ballot.

Thanks for joining us Mark.

Thank you for having me.

Why is the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act so important and where does its passage stand?

It's a critical piece of legislation. There is a reason why in the last few

Congresses it has been among the most fearishly anticipated and fought over

provision. It would restore the Voting Rights Act to its place as the crown jewel of

American democracy.

...