OBAMA MARKS 50 TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND DECLARES SEPT 22

USPA NEWS - The President Obama participates in a video conference to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. in Roosevelt Room. Obama delivered his remarks and announced National Day voter registration in September 22. He also called on Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act.

LAWS ARE STILL BEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE------------------------------------- President Obama recalled the history and the paths of certains heroes fighting for this civil right of voting. Laws are still being passed across the country that make it harder to vote. Fifty years ago today, because of the sacrifice of countless men and women, that right was secured for more Americans. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law“Š“”“Šbreaking down legal barriers at the state and local level that had prevented African Americans and others from exercising their constitutional right to vote. Half a century after, “we still have more work“ said Obama to do to break down barriers to voting. Today President Obama delivered his remarks today about the anniversary of Vote Right Act and recalled the importance of the vote, if not the power of the citizen who get involved by voting : "Seize the power that you have. Make this democracy work. Do not succumb to cynicism. Heroic things happen when people get involved." Heroic things happen when a young man without any official title joining up with a bunch of others and not so young people comes up with every colour and persuasion“¦and a march crossed the bridge. That´s the power that is in all of us, we have to take a better advantage of it“ Said President Obama He also said that “There still work to do“ President Obama concluded by announcing that a National Day voter registration is announce to be in September 22.

THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF ANY DEMOCRACY Fifty years after the Voting Rights Act became law, however, there's still work to be done. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act, which allowed states to begin changing their voting laws without procedural protections in place.The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits racial discrimination in voting and was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the American Civil Rights Movement.(See archive photo) “Defending our freedom, though, is not just the job of our military alone. We must all do our part to make sure our God-given rights are protected here at home. That includes one of the most fundamental right of a democracy: the right to vote. When any American, no matter where they live or what their party, are denied that right because they can´t afford to wait for five or six or seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals.“said ““ President Obama, February 12, 2013