Democratic National Committee video

"Vice President Biden: 'Stand Up' for Voting Rights" +
3:33 video from April 7, 2014.

[Music throughout]

Vice President Biden: Hi, folks, this is Joe Biden.

I've got to tell you if someone had said to me ten years ago that I'd have to make a pitch for protecting voting rights today, I would have said you've got to be kidding.

You know Dr. King said it best from the Selma jail cell when he was arrested leading a march trying to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, he said voting is the foundation stone for political action.  It was such a hard fight in '65 but President Johnson got the Voting Rights Act passed. 

And as time went on, the wisdom of Dr. King and the necessity of protecting voting rights became widely accepted in both political parties. 

As a young Senator in 1975, one of my first important votes was to re-authorize the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Then in 1982, when it came up for re-authorization again even Strom Thurmond of South Carolina voted for it.  And that same year, President Reagan called voting rights, quote, the crown jewel of American liberties, and he pledged, no barrier will come between our citizens and the voting booth.

And as recently as 2006 the Voting Rights Act was re-authorized 98 to 0 in the Senate and 390 to 33 in the House of Representatives.  I thought at that time the only debate we'd be having now would be how to continue to expand the voting franchise. 

But last year when the Supreme Court cut the heart out of the Voting Rights Act it opened up the floodgates for voter suppression, voter suppression efforts nationwide.  This year alone there are almost 50 restrictive voting rights bills under consideration nationwide.  At least 11 states have introduced legislation either requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls or make existing photo ID laws more restrictive.

Laws like the one in North Carolina which imposed new photo ID requirements, shortened early voting and eliminated same-day registration for early voting.  And in Texas a voter ID law which lets you show your permit for a concealed handgun license but not your student ID card.  Laws like the ones in Ohio and Wisconsin which shortened early voting period, limited the time the polls are open, cut evening hours, and eliminated weekend early voting.  That means people can't vote after church; it means hard working Americans have to take time off from work to be able to vote.

We have to stand up.  It's time to stand up and to fight back.  That's why the Democratic National Committee's new Voter Expansion Project is training staff and volunteers to protect the right to vote all across this nation.  And it's simple.  We need your help.  Stand up with us.

So please go to Democrats.org/ExpandTheVote.  Add your name to the long list of Americans who are standing up and refusing to allow this most basic civil right to be whittled away for any eligible voter.  And it's happening now all across the nation.  Folks this is a fight we have to make again, but it's a fight we can win again, and we need your help.

I'm proud to be in this fight with you.  Thank you for what your about to do and may God protect our troops.


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