Sarbanes Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Shelby County vs. Holder SCOTUS Decision

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County vs. Holder, which struck down critical voter protections of the Voting Rights Act:

“Congress passed the Voting Rights Act to put an end to the despicable discrimination leveled against racial minorities as they seek to make their voices heard at the ballot box. The Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder was judicial activism at its worst, overriding a crucial law passed by a large, bipartisan majority in Congress. Until Congress acts to renew the Voting Rights Act, this decision remains a threat to our citizens’ inalienable right to vote.

“With decisions like Shelby, McCutcheon and Citizens United, the Roberts Court has become openly hostile toward the rights of everyday Americans to be heard by their government. We need a return to government of, by and for the people.”

This year, Congressman Sarbanes authored and introduced the Government By the People Act, a bipartisan effort to reform our elections that has more than 150 House cosponsors and has been endorsed by more than 50 national organizations advocating for the environment, education, working families, civil rights, clean government and more.