On the 54th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, DNC Chair Tom Perez and DNC Vice Chair for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation Karen Carter Peterson released the following statement reaffirming the Democratic Party’s commitment to protecting every American’s right to cast a ballot:

“The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. That’s why more than half a century ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. It was a triumph for organizers and activists who endured generations of discrimination and sacrificed everything for equality at the ballot box. But today, all of that progress remains under attack. The Republican voter suppression machine is in full swing. Across the country, Donald Trump and his cronies are working to silence American voters, especially those in communities of color. But Democrats are doing everything possible to fight back. We know that our democracy works better when more people vote, not fewer. And we will keep fighting every day to end discrimination, expand access to the ballot box, and restore critical protections of the Voting Rights Act.”

The Trump administration has repeatedly attacked voting rights:

• The Trump administration hasn’t filed a single lawsuit to enforce the Voting Rights Act.

• Trump repeatedly pushed for unnecessary and damaging voter ID requirements that make it harder for people to vote in order to combat the non-existent problem of widespread voter fraud.

• Ahead of the 2018 midterms, the Trump administration issued sweeping subpoenas demanding millions of voter records in an attempt to discourage Americans from voting.

• Trump tasked Mike Pence and Kris Kobach with heading a voter fraud commission to try to justify Republican voter suppression tactics.