Kansas City, MO - Senator John Kerry released the following statement today:

“Today, we celebrate the 39th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. On this day we both honor those who marched, bled and died to guarantee the right to vote for all Americans – and we recommit ourselves to the cause that they championed.

“We honor John Lewis, and many of his brave fellow voting rights marchers, who were savagely beaten as they bowed their heads in prayer on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the march from Selma to Montgomery.

“We honor James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were arrested by a corrupt local sheriff and ultimately murdered by the Klan because they dared to stand up for the cause of voting rights.

“We honor Fannie Lou Hamer who had the courage to challenge exclusionary voting practices and to demand her rightful place at the table of American democracy.

“And we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who spoke these inspiring words: “Let us march on ballot boxes, until we send to our city councils, state legislatures, and the United States Congress men who will not fear to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God.”

“The sacrifices of these brave men and women must inspire us to recommit ourselves to the cause of voting rights across this country. We still have much work to do as in the last election, more than one million African Americans were disenfranchised in one of the most tainted elections in history, and there are daily reports of new challenges to voting rights emanating from Florida. Still today millions of Americans do not vote because they face harassment, intimidation or merely because they believe their vote will not be counted.

“We can do better. We must do better. And, when I am president, we will do better.”