The right to vote is fundamental to who we are as Americans. Our economy depends on a healthy democracy built on fair and accessible elections, free from discriminatory barriers to voter participation. The over 200 companies that comprise Business for Voting Rights applaud that the House has taken the first and important step in honoring lifelong civil rights champion John Lewis and helping to strengthen and protect the right to vote for all Americans by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. We are now calling on the Senate to come together in a bipartisan way to ensure voting rights are protected, as they have done five times since the Voting Rights Act was first passed in 1965. The right to vote is not – and has not historically been – a partisan issue. It is an American one.” 

In the 2020 election, Americans came together to work the polls, get out the vote, and cast their ballots in spite of the pandemic, achieving historic levels of voter participation. The business community is proud of our role in encouraging our employees, customers, and communities to exercise their right to vote and have a say in our government. Widespread civic engagement is essential to a stable society and robust economy. Our democracy is strongest, as Congressman Lewis knew, when we all can vote.

At the same time, the election highlighted deep inequities in how our elections are run. Despite decades of progress, impediments to exercising the right to vote persist in many states, especially for communities of color. We need federal protections to safeguard this fundamental right for all Americans.

To this end, the undersigned group of U.S. employers urges Congress to address these problems through legislation amending the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

While each of our companies is unique, we are united in the belief that every American deserves a voice in our democracy. It is our government’s role to ensure voting is accessible to all. We urge Congress to add to the legacy of Representative Lewis by passing Voting Rights Act legislation that assures that every voice is heard.