Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement following the introduction today of the Voter Empowerment Act in the House of Representatives: “Today’s introduction of the Voter Empowerment Act sends a powerful and timely message about the importance of eliminating barriers to voting and improving the administration of our elections. Our nation is strong when our democracy is strong, and our democracy is strongest when every citizen has free and full access to the voting booth.
The ability to cast a vote and have that vote count is the most precious civil right in America. But as we approach an election with so much at stake, we’re seeing new efforts in states across the country to exclude citizens from registering and voting on a scale unheard of since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The days of poll taxes, literacy tests, and brutal physical intimidation may be behind us, but today’s disenfranchisement tactics aimed at minority communities, while more subtle, are no less pernicious. Last year, 14 states passed restrictions on the right to vote. This year, similar legislation is pending in 24 states. None of these measures will improve elections; they will only suppress voter participation.
The Voter Empowerment Act is a comprehensive plan to strengthen elections, combat voter exclusion, and expand voter participation. We applaud the bill’s sponsors and urge the House to give it serious consideration as soon as possible.”
Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals.
The Leadership Conference is the nation's premier civil and human rights coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society. The Education Fund builds public will for civil and human rights through campaigns that empower and mobilize civil and human rights advocates around the country to push for progressive change.
Mr. Henderson is also the Joseph L. Rauh, Jr., Professor of Public Interest Law at the David A. Clarke School of Law, University of the District of Columbia. Mr. Henderson is well known for his expertise on a wide range of civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights issues, and is the author of numerous articles on civil rights and public policy issues. Since taking the helm of The Leadership Conference in June 1996, Mr. Henderson has worked diligently to address emerging policy issues of concern to the civil and human rights community and to strengthen the effectiveness of the coalition. Under his stewardship, The Leadership Conference has become one of the nation's most effective advocates for civil and human rights.
“I am pleased that President Obama today took a very important step forward in his support for civil and human rights by expressing his personal support for marriage equality. As a lifelong civil and human rights advocate, I have always believed that civil rights are measured by a single yardstick. When the government bestows inheritance rights, tax benefits, adoption rights, child custody, power of attorney, and other privileges on married individuals – but denies those same basic privileges to gays and lesbians – it is a blunt and injurious denial of equality and family security.
I believe that gays and lesbians deserve the same marriage rights and privileges as the rest of us. Anything less is an insult to the institution of the American family. President Obama’s support for marriage equality is a powerful reaffirmation of our belief in equal treatment under the law.”
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