Today voting rights groups filed a suit against the Georgia Secretary of State charging that the voting rights of a Cherokee County citizen had been violated. This suit comes one day after serious concerns were lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice that Georgia’s attempts to verify voter identity violated the Voting Rights Act, a federal law which mandates states with a history of discrimination clear any voting procedures with the Department of Justice before they are implemented during an election. The Social Security Administration has also raised questions about the number of Georgia’s requests. Georgia has asked to verify the identities of 2 million voters. Rep. John Lewis, a symbol of the struggle for voting rights in America, made this statement in response to these events:

With only one-minute of time allotted to speak, Rep. John Lewis made this statement today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008:

           “Madame Speaker, I have decided that the cost of doing nothing is greater than the cost of doing something. The fear that is gripping Wall Street has the power to shut down Main Street. We cannot and we must not allow that to happen.  The people are afraid. Their retirement savings are slipping away.  Small businesses have no sales, no credit, and are closing their doors.  People cannot get loans.  They are losing their lines of credit.

            “We must act.  We must do something.  But I do not see this as a blank check. In a few months, we will have a new President and a new Congress.  We must hold the feet of these financial institutions to the fire. It is only with that assurance that I will vote yes on this legislation. Thank you Madame Speaker.”

With only one-minute of time allotted to speak, Rep. John Lewis made this statement today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008: