Sewell issues statement after Louisiana v. Callais ruling

Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) issued a statement following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a congressional map in the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, which she said "guts" the Voting Rights Act. 

According to media reports, the 6-3 decision strikes down a congressional map in Louisiana that would have added a second majority-black district. 

See below for Sewell's response in a statement: 

“Today’s decision is a devastating blow to American democracy and a death sentence for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The right-wing Supreme Court has not only turned its back on decades of precedent and ignored the intent of Congress and the will of the people, but it has weakened the foundational principle safeguarding fair representation for Black and minority voters.

"For decades, Section 2 has been the essential tool that allowed minority voters to challenge discriminatory maps and defend our right to meaningful political power. By gutting it, the Court has made it easier for bad actors to discriminate and harder for us to fight that discrimination in court. The decision is a gift to President Trump and his voter suppression scheme, making it easier for Republicans to steal congressional seats by diluting the voices of Black and minority voters.

"As the representative of Alabama’s 7th District—a district whose very existence was secured through the Voting Rights Act—I know firsthand what is at stake. This decision will determine whether communities like ours can elect leaders who understand their lived experiences and fight for their needs. Its impact will not be confined to one state or one election cycle. It will shape who gets heard in our democracy, who gets counted, and whose voice gets left behind.

"The attacks on our voting rights are coming from every angle. Now more than ever, communities across the nation must mobilize and vote like we've never voted before. If the Court won't protect the rights of Black and minority voters, Congress must act. We must revise and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the full protections of the VRA. And we must reaffirm, through action, that every American deserves an equal voice in our democracy.

"The right to vote is the lifeblood of our democracy. In the spirit of John Lewis, we will continue to make ‘Good Trouble’ until the promise of democracy is real for all.”