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For Immediate Release
Contact:

Kiren Marshall, marshall@civilrights.org@civilrights.org

Henderson to Congress: Protecting Our Democracy Has Never Been More Important

WASHINGTON

Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, will testify today before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties on the ongoing pervasive racial discrimination at the ballot box.

"We are now on the edge of a precipice. Too many people in positions of power around the country are trying to take us back to a world reminiscent of Jim Crow -- a world of exclusion, control, and violent inequality. This assault on democracy has only grown in momentum since the 2020 election, with new and increasingly dangerous tactics that continue to undermine free and fair representation," Henderson said in his testimony.

"The question is now: How must Congress meet this moment? And the unequivocal answer is that Congress must rise to this challenge and do everything within its power to move to debate and pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act by any means necessary. Let's be clear: We have approached the time of dealing with the contradiction of what we say we are as a democratic republic, and what we actually are. In this perilous moment, Congress must carry out its duty and swiftly act to make real the promise of our democracy for all."

Read his full written testimony here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society - an America as good as its ideals.

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