House Approves Measure to Rename Voting Rights Bill After John Lewis

This story is from Forbes by Andrew Solender, Forbes Staff:

The House of Representatives on Monday passed a measure renaming H.R. 4, a key voting rights bill, after the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), coinciding with a ceremony to honor him at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and initially called the “Voting Rights Advancement Act,” is a response to the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision invalidating key parts of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, which eliminated barriers making it difficult for African Americans to vote.

The decision in Shelby County v. Holder struck down federal oversight of the Voting Rights Act in nine states, which Democrats have alleged opened the door for significant voter suppression through voter ID laws and other measures, which the bill is aimed at rolling back.

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