Senator Carper Disappointed by Supreme Court Voting Rights Act Decision, Urges Congress to Restore Key Protections

WASHINGTON– Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) issued the following statement reacting to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to overturn key voting rights protections under the Voting Rights Act:

“Not too long ago, in 2006, my Senate colleagues – Republicans and Democrats – voted 98-0 to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act. The law, which has been periodically renewed since its enactment in 1965, has been an enduring success in preventing racial discrimination for decades. Congress came together in 2006 to ensure that this success would be replicated for many more decades to come. Yet today, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned one of the key provisions of this landmark civil rights bill – and with it the overwhelmingly bipartisan consensus of Congress. It’s certainly not the decision I had hoped for.

“The challenge before Congress now is figuring out the right thing to do, and doing it as expeditiously as possible. While Congress must addresses the Supreme Court’s concerns in revising the law, we cannot let today’s decision deter our resolve to protect minority voters from racially discriminatory practices. We must now come together, as we did in 2006, and restore a viable coverage formula to the Voting Rights Act.”