Designating August 6, 1990, as "Voting Rights Celebration Day".
PL 101-345 (H.J.Res.625), enacted 08/07/1990

PUBLIC LAW 101-345—AUG. 7, 1990 
104 STAT. 395 
Public Law 101-345 
101st Congress 
Joint Resolution 
Designating August 6,1990, as "Voting Rights Celebration Day". 
Whereas the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution 
guarantees the right of all citizens of the United States to vote 
without regard to their race or color; 
Whereas, for nearly a century, the Government of the United States 
failed to enforce effectively the 15th amendment, thus denying 
African-Americans the right to exercise their voting franchise; 
Whereas, in the absence of voting rights legislation, violence, 
harassment, intimidation, unfair tests, and other barriers to 
participation 
denied 
millions 
of 
United 
States 
citizens 
empowerment and enfranchisement in the political process; 
Whereas the enactment of effective voting rights legislation was a 
priority of the civil rights movement for which many gave their 
lives; 
Whereas President Lyndon Johnson declared on March 15, 1965, 
before a Joint Session of Congress that "every American citizen 
must have an equal right to vote," and that "there is no duty 
which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to insure 
that right"; 
Whereas bipartisan majorities in the House of Representatives and 
the Senate overwhelmingly approved the Voting Rights Act of 
1965, and President Johnson signed the Act into law in a cere-
mony in the rotunda of the United States Capitol on August 6, 
1965; 
Whereas the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been the most effective 
civil rights legislation for changing discriminatory practices that 
denied African-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, 
Asian-American and other minority voters their most basic demo-
cratic rights, the right to vote and the opportunity to elect the 
persons they most want to represent them; 
Whereas Congress has extended the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on 
three occasions because of its great effectiveness in expanding 
voter registration among minority citizens, increasing the number 
of 
African-American, 
Hispanic-American, 
Native-American, 
Asian-American and other minority elected officials, and causing 
greater and intrinsically valuable discourse between candidates 
for elective office and voters of all races and colors; and 
Whereas August 6, 1990, marks the 25th anniversary of the enact-
ment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That August 6, 
1990, is designated as "Voting Rights Celebration Day", and the 
President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation 
reminding the people of the United States o
f
— 
(1) the historic struggle to provide all citizens of the United 
States with an equal and unencumbered right to vote; 
(2) the need to register to vote and participate in elections; 
Aug. 7,1990 
[H.J. Res. 625] 
104 STAT. 396 
PUBLIC LAW 101-345—AUG. 7, 1990 
(3) the importance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 
need for its continued enforcement; and 
(4) the value of the vote to all citizens as an instrument of self-
government and justice in a democratic society. 
Approved August 7, 1990. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 625: 
CX)NGRESSIONALiRECORD, Vol. 136 (1990): 
July 31, considered and passed House. 
Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.