By Mel Wilson, MBA, LCSW NASW Senior Policy Advisor, Social Justice and Human Rights Leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 4 reintroduced the For the People Act (H.R. 1). This legislation, the first bill introduced in the 117th Congress, reaffirms the commitment of leadership and most members of the House to getting rid of “dark money” and ... Read More »
Tag Archives: Voting Rights
Voting Rights Update: Concerns about Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Vice President Mike Pence on July 19 chaired the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. The 15-member commission is co-chaired by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and commonly referred to as the Pence-Kobach Commission. The commission’s mission is to “study the registration and voting processes used in federal elections.” Specifically, President Donald Trump’s contention is ... Read More »
Voting Rights Update
The national elections are just over a month away. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) supports voting rights and is part of a coalition pressing Congress to restore voting rights dismantled by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. NASW is also part of a Rock the Vote voter registration campaign with Social Work Helper Magazine, the American Academy of Social ... Read More »
NASW pleased U.S. Supreme Court ruling supports U.S. voting rights
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is pleased the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday strongly supported the fundamental tenet of the United States’ representative system in its ruling on Evenwel v. Abbott. The Court in a unanimous decision upheld the principle that elected officials at all levels of government are selected by all people in their elective jurisdictions and ... Read More »
NASW Arizona Chapter thanks Phoenix Mayor for calling for Voting Investigation
Officials in Arizona’s Maricopa County cut the number of polling places from 200 in the last presidential election to 60 in last week’s primary. That led to massive lines in polling places, especially in areas of historically marginalized and underrepresented populations, and charges of voter disenfranchisement. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has called for a Justice Department investigation. The National Association ... Read More »
NASW Pleased Obama Pledges to Focus on Social Justice, Economic Equity in Final State of the Union Address
President Obama made his final State of the Union Address on January 12. Given the historic nature of his presidency, this was a much anticipated speech. For many, the end of the presidency of America’s first black president is met with both a sense of reflection about the last seven years and anticipation about his priorities for the remaining 12 ... Read More »
NASW members joining Voting Rights rally in Roanoke, Va. on June 25
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) members on Thursday June 25 will travel to Roanoke, Virginia’s Elmwood Park to join civil rights groups and voting rights advocates in a rally to restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA). June 25 markets the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The ... Read More »
NASW needs your help to fix Voting Rights Act
The National Association and its partner organizations need your help in urging Congress to pass legislation to fix the Voting Rights Act. The U.S. Supreme Court last June declared the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional when it came to identifying jurisdictions that must get “pre-clearance,” or federal approval to change voting laws. Pre-clearance enabled the federal government to prevent states ... Read More »
NASW Calls on Senate to Confirm Debo Adegbile as Assistant Attorney General
The U.S. Senate will soon decide whether to confirm Debo Adegbile to serve as assistant attoney general in charge of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is one 75 organizations that signed a letter to Senate leadership urging confirmation of Adegbile. NASW is also active in the Debo Nomination Coalition. There are several important ... Read More »
Voting Rights Bill Update
On January 16, 2014, the House of Representatives introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 (H.R. 3899). This is a bipartisan bill that was co-sponsored in the House by Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and John Conyers (D-MI). The Senate version of the bill, S. 1945, was also introduced on January 16, 2014 by Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The introduction of the ... Read More »