Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Recognize September as National Voting Rights Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), U.S. Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX), and more than 60 of their colleagues on National Voter Registration Day in introducing a bicameral resolution recognizing September as “National Voting Rights Month.” The resolution will encourage voter registration in the month of September and push Congress to preserve the right to vote by restoring the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The resolution has been endorsed by End Citizens United, We Defend the Vote, Stand Up America.

In addition to Senator Hirono, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Coons (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), John Fetterman (D-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Ben Cardin (D-MD).

In the House of Representatives, the resolution is cosponsored by more than 35 members, including Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Jim Costa (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Al Green (D-TX), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Mark Takano (D-CA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

The full text of the resolution is available here.

Senator Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been a long-time champion of voting rights legislation and protections. In September 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Election Worker Protection Act, comprehensive legislation which would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers’ safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats. In July 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Youth Voting Rights Act, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. In January 2022, Senator Hirono delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the urgent need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation. In September 2021, Senator Hirono introduced the Freedom to Vote Act, landmark legislation to strengthen our democracy, which included resources to recruit and train election workers as well as provisions to prevent the intimidation and harassment of election workers.

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