Reform Movement Applauds House Passage of Voting Rights Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2019

Reform Movement Applauds House Passage of Voting Rights Legislation

WASHINGTON – Following the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4), Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement on behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the wider Reform Movement institutions:

“Today represents an important step forward in our years-long work to restore the historic Voting Rights Act and protect voting rights. We commend the House for its leadership and urge the Senate to follow suit by passing the Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately.

“Our Jewish tradition teaches us that ‘a ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted’ (Babylonian Talmud, B’rachot 55a). We all have a responsibility to ensure that individuals in our community have the opportunity to vote and fully participate in civic life.

“Today’s vote shows this work is far from over. We will continue to advocate for equal access to the ballot box, free from discrimination and barriers, so that every American citizen has the right to vote.”

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The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is the Washington office of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose more than 850 congregations across North America encompass 1.5 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, whose membership includes more than 2,000 Reform rabbis. Visit www.rac.org for more.