Newsroom
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pledged to black lawmakers Tuesday that he will help rebuild the Voting Rights Act after a Supreme Court ruling gutted federal oversight of states with a history of bias.
“He’s with us, and he wants to make sure we do something to strengthen voting rights for all Americans,” Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, said at the White House after Obama met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Black lawmakers said they also discussed how to develop a new formula for deciding which states deserve extra scrutiny.
In this whirlwind of voting news, it can be hard to keep up.
Last Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which had established a formula determining which states would be required by Section 5 to “pre-clear” election changes before implementing them. Texas was one of nine states that had been included but now was off the hook.
The reaction in the state was swift: Within hours, Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that the state’s previously blocked voter ID law would immediately go into effect.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX– As the debate on immigration reform intensifies, Congressman Marc Veasey and Congressman Joaquin Castro invite constituents of the 33rd Congressional District to a screening of “The Dream Is Now” to hear firsthand accounts of DREAMers and families torn apart as they wait for passage of comprehensive immigration reform. This event is free.
FORT WORTH, TX – Congressman Veasey will host a FREE small business forum at the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce on July 26, from 8:30am-12:00pm. The event is designed to assist small businesses in the 33rd Congressional District to compete more effectively to secure federal contracts.
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey joined seven others Wednesday in filing a federal lawsuit to keep Texas from enforcing its voter ID law.
Veasey, D-Fort Worth, filed the papers in Corpus Christi federal court, calling the requirement to show a state-issued photo ID card at the ballot box unconstitutional.
The law “would have the effect of denying thousands of Texas voters the ability to vote in person, a large number of whom would be disenfranchised entirely since absentee voting in Texas is available to only certain specified categories of voters,” the lawsuit says.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, the Supreme Court announced its decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which questioned the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act. In a 5-4 decision, the court left Section 5 of the VRA intact, maintaining the preclearance provisions. However, the Court struck down Section 4, which determines which jurisdictions will be required to seek preclearance under Section 5. As a result, Congress must now create the new formula for determining which jurisdictions will be covered under Section 5.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against passage of H.R. 1947, known as the Farm Bill. Congressman Marc Veasey provided the following remarks following the defeat of the legislation:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the heels of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform bill, Congressman Veasey is confident that the comprehensive immigration reform will boost the economy in the 33rd Congressional District.
Democratic members of Congress took part in theCongressional SNAP challenge, living on the $4.50 per day allotted to Americans who receive SNAP, or food stamps. Two freshman members of the Texas delegation -- Beto O'Rourke (TX-16, El Paso) and Marc Veasey (TX-33, Dallas-Fort Worth) -- participated in the challenge.
Should Congress cut SNAP benefits in the Farm Bill to give huge breaks to agri-business and corporate farms, Texans will be particularly hard hit. According to the Texas Food Bank Network, 171,000 Texans would be kicked off SNAP immediately.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX– As the Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrates its 50th National Small Business Week, Congressman Marc Veasey invites constituents of the 33rd District to participate in the June 18th SBA event in Arlington, TX to help promote their small business.