Speaker Pelosi Urges Democrats to Pass John Lewis Voting Rights Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter addressed to her House colleagues on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged her caucus to vote for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA) when they return to session. The letter included an update on the currently pending legislative priorities of the Democratic-led Congress, including the For the People Act and the Jan. 6 Commission, both of which are stalled in the Senate. Pelosi asked that her Senate colleagues consider that “our mission is to amplify the voices of the grassroots, as they vote, advocate for policy and choose to run for office. H.R. 1/S. 1 must become law in order to respect the sanctity of the vote, which is the basis of our democracy.” 

The speaker provided an updated timeline on the JLVRAA, which is currently undergoing revisions in the House Judiciary Committee. Pelosi expects that the legislation will be ready for a vote in the fall, but reminded her colleagues that it is only one piece of the solution needed to prevent Republican threats to voting rights — and its provisions do not replace the sorely needed reforms included in the For the People Act.

Read Pelosi’s full letter here.