Washington, D.C. — Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States and chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), testified before the Committee on House Administration’s Subcommittee on Elections during its ‘Voting in America’ hearing on Thursday.  Holder’s prepared remarks focused on the impact of the Shelby County Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act as well as attempts to subvert our democracy and disenfranchise voters of color.

Excerpts of Attorney General Holder’s remarks as delivered are below. 

“Over the past few years, politicians have used a range of strategies to diminish the voice of the people — from gerrymandering to voter suppression to outright intimidation. And today, we are facing a sustained, coordinated, multi-pronged assault that seeks to roll back protections for voters, restrict access to the franchise, and redefine the way that power is gained and exercised in the United States of America.
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These actions have not made our elections safer or more secure. They have not improved the quality or the accessibility of our politics. Instead, they have stripped Americans of fundamental rights and undermined the promise of American democracy. And they have all – every one of them – disproportionately impacted people of color.
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We need to repair the damage being done to our democracy. We need to create lasting, durable safeguards that protect our most essential freedom. We need to expand and codify into law voting rights and processes so that every eligible American can cast their ballot and be confident that it will be counted. We need to end gerrymandering, so that all people, including people of color, can be represented by their public servants of their choice.”

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