Warrensville HTS, OH- Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) released the following statement commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

“Today, I honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives to protest inequality.  Their efforts led to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and secured the undeniable right of every citizen to achieve their version of the American dream based on their abilities, not the color of their skin. 

“The Civil Rights Act is one of the reasons why I am able to serve as the third African American woman to represent the Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio.  It is a privilege for me to wake up each day with the will and the people’s mandate to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans as a Member of the United States Congress.

“Fifty years ago today, President Johnson fulfilled the promise of his predecessor, President John F. Kennedy, by affording every American equal protection under the law.  Discrimination and segregation in the workplace, schools, housing, voting sites and other public locations became illegal, and Freedom Summer continued, despite the deaths of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner.  Yet,  we still have to fight for full implementation of the law and against disparities that negatively impact minorities, such as the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder to strike down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“The Voting Rights Act was signed a year after the Civil Rights Act to reinforce every American’s right to participate in our democracy.  In the face of recent events that inhibit access to the ballot box, we must reinstate statutory provisions that protect the right to vote.  I urge House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte to honor the 50^th anniversary of Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act by bringing the Voting Rights Amendment Act to the House floor for consideration and debate.”

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