LWVUS Seeks to Partner with Congressional Tri-Caucus to Protect Voting Rights

The League and partner organizations sent a letter to the Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to request a meeting about protecting and preserving federal voting rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act, during the 119th Congress.

February 5, 2025

Representative Grace Meng, Chair
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Yvette D. Clarke, Chair
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) 
2058 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Adriano Espaillat, Chair
Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)
2332 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Re: Meeting Request on Voting Rights in the 119^th Congress 

Dear Chair Meng, Chair Clarke, and Chair Espaillat:

In the United States, the right to vote is one of the most basic promises of our democracy. In a democratic government, every person is considered equal and is empowered to both participate in their government and speak on the issues that impact their daily lives. Through our votes, Americans express our values on issues that affect us every day, like health care, criminal justice, taxes, and much more. 

The League of Women Voters of the United States®, Southern Poverty Law Center, American Association of People with Disabilities, Asian Pacific Islander American VOTE, National Council of Jewish Women, and National Organization for Women request a meeting with you to discuss how we might work together to protect and preserve federal voting rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act, during the 119^th Congress. 

We know that you have a history of standing up and protecting the right to vote. We know that you understand the importance of democratic institutions and organizations’ work on behalf of all eligible Americans. Protecting the right to vote for all is a constant endeavor that requires our nation to assess and address any barriers for eligible voters to cast a ballot and have it counted. It is imperative that Tri-Caucus members unite to resist attacks on voting rights and only support measures that make voting fair and accessible for all eligible voters.

In recent decades, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA or “motor voter law”), and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) marked just a few of the milestones in voting rights history that have transformed American democracy. These historical voting rights laws were achieved through bipartisan cooperation. 

The history of voting rights is largely bipartisan. For example, the VRA has always been reauthorized with bipartisan support from members of Congress and Presidents from both major political parties. As we move through the next era of our work, you can ensure that this continues. We need your support to defend the VRA against further attacks and ensure its full protection is restored.

Additionally, we must ensure that the bipartisan progress made via the NVRA and HAVA is not lost. These laws drove the registration of millions of voters, increased the country’s ratio of registered voters relative to the voting-age population to the highest recorded at the time, created the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), provided funds to states for election administration and new voting systems, and created election administration minimum standards for states. 

Your support for expanding access to the vote remains critical. Increased accessibility to the electoral process is integral to ensuring that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote. Additionally, we urge you to continue fighting back vigorously against ongoing attempts to make it harder to vote. Together, as organizational signatories, we will fight to increase and protect voters’ access to the polls through voter education, motivation, and activation. While we have made progress in expanding voter access, many voters still face challenges to participate in elections due to factors including income, health, age, race, disability, and gender. Voting is a fundamental right, and all Americans deserve an equal opportunity to make their voices heard in our democracy. 

We thank you for your history of championing voting rights and look forward to being a resource to you as we fight to ensure the right to vote remains during the 119th Congress. Please do not hesitate to contact our staff via Jessica Jones Capparell, Director of Government Affairs, at [email protected], or Kristen Kern, Federal Policy and Advocacy Manager, at [email protected] for questions or to schedule a meeting.

We look forward to meeting with you. 

Together in the fight,

Celina Stewart, League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS)
Christine Chen, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Vote (APIAVote)
Margaret Huang, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
Sheila Katz, National Council on Jewish Women (NCJW)
Christian Nunes, National Organization for Women (NOW)
Maria Towns, American Association of People w Disabilities (AAPD)