IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 866 
Expressing support for designation of the month of September as ‘‘National 
Voting Rights Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 
Mr. VEASEY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House 
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of the month of 
September as ‘‘National Voting Rights Month’’. 
Whereas from 1954–1968 African-Americans in the South 
suffered from the oppressive effects of Jim Crow laws de-
signed to prevent political, economic, and social mobility; 
Whereas African-Americans were subject to violence, poll 
taxes, literacy tests, all White primaries, property owner-
ship tests, grandfather clauses, voter roll purges, and the 
prevention of former prisoners from voting; 
Whereas in 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 
1965 to protect the rights of African-Americans and 
other traditionally disenfranchised groups to vote; 
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•HRES 866 IH 
Whereas in 2013, the Supreme Court invalidated section four 
of the Voting Rights Act, dismantling the pre-clearance 
provision in the law that protected voters in States that 
historically have suppressed the rights of minorities to 
vote; 
Whereas the Shelby vs. Holder Supreme Court decision calls 
on Congress to fix the Voting Rights Act formula of 
1965; 
Whereas in 33 States some form of restrictive voting law has 
been instituted since 2013; 
Whereas these restrictive voting laws encompass cut backs in 
early voting, voter roll purges, placement of faulty equip-
ment in minority communities, requirement of photo 
identification—the procurement of which amounts to a 
modern day poll tax, and elimination of same day reg-
istration; 
Whereas more than 80 million minority, elderly, poor, and 
disabled voters could be disenfranchised by these changes 
in voting; 
Whereas in 2016 discriminatory laws in North Carolina, Wis-
consin, North Dakota, and Texas have been ruled uncon-
stitutional and overturned by the courts; 
Whereas there are local elected officials who refuse to adhere 
to Federal court decisions that have struck down sup-
pressive voting laws instituted since the Supreme Court’s 
Shelby vs. Holder case; 
Whereas there is much more work to be done to ensure all 
Americans have the right to vote; 
Whereas the 2016 Presidential election, one of the most im-
portant elections in recent history, is upon us and mil-
lions of Americans will be unable to vote; 
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•HRES 866 IH 
Whereas National Voter Registration Day is September 27; 
and 
Whereas the month of September would be an appropriate 
month to designate as ‘‘National Voting Rights Month’’: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Vot-
ing Rights Month’’; 
(2) encourages all people in the United States 
to uphold the right of every American to exercise 
their sacred and fundamental right to vote; and 
(3) endorses the following solutions to further 
the mission of allowing all citizens to vote— 
(A) that our Nation’s public schools and 
universities develop an academic curriculum, 
whereby students learn about the importance of 
voting, how to become registered to vote, where 
to vote, and the different forms of voting. This 
curriculum would include teaching the history 
of voter suppression in America before the 1965 
Civil Rights Act was passed. It would also teach 
students about current issues that are related 
to laws that have been passed to restrict the 
vote since 1965 or any actions taken by local, 
State, and the Federal Government officials 
since passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act that 
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•HRES 866 IH 
have created barriers to being able to vote. The 
right to vote education curriculum would in-
clude an examination of bills that have been in-
troduced on the Federal, State, and local level 
to ensure the right to vote in an election; 
(B) that the Department of the Treasury 
issue a special Martin Luther King or Fannie 
Lou Hamer stamp during the month of Sep-
tember, to remind Americans about how ordi-
nary citizens risked their lives, marched, and 
participated in our great democracy so all 
Americans would have the fundamental right to 
vote; 
(C) that Members of Congress during the 
month of September, in a bi-partisan fashion, 
go to the House Floor in order to highlight the 
importance of voting in elections, or to highlight 
any problems with being able to vote; 
(D) Congress should allocate the requisite 
funds needed for public service announcements 
on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, so-
cial media, bill boards, buses, and other forms 
of media to remind Americans when elections 
are being held, and to urge people to get out 
and vote; and 
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•HRES 866 IH 
(E) Members of Congress pass legislation 
that will allow all citizens upon reaching the age 
of 18, determined by using birth records, to be 
automatically enrolled to vote in Federal elec-
tions. 
Æ 
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