Repair the Voting Rights Act by federal legislation to restore full protections for all voters

● In 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder that states, most of them in the South, did not have to abide by preclearance laws with the federal government before making changes to their voting laws. The decision was based on the argument that treating states differently was unconstitutional, even if some of the states in question had a history of racial disparity at the polls.  

●  Two months after the ruling, North Carolina passed HB 589 and instituted a strict photo ID requirement; curtailed early voting; eliminated same day registration; restricted pre-registration; ended annual voter registration drives; and eliminated the authority of county boards of elections to keep polls open for an additional hour. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the law in July 2016, finding that it targeted “African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

● Texas also tried to implement restricted photo ID requirements at the polls, which could have prevented over half a million registered Texans from voting, had it not been struck down after NAACP intervention.

●  Within constitutional limits, the Voting Rights Act must be repaired to once again require preclearance laws in states with histories of voter laws that impact minority groups more harmfully than whites. While some of the state actions to restrict voting have been struck down, minority advocacy groups should not have to go to court in defense of voter rights, when every American citizen is supposed to have equal voter rights.   End Systematic Racism Pursuing racial justice is a core component of the DCDC’s mission. Ending systematic racism, which presents itself in many issues and aspects of policy across Pennsylvania, must be removed if all are to have opportunities to achieve the American Dream. The DCDC supports federal and Pennsylvania legislation to curb racial discrimination in law enforcement, housing, health care, and employment. Legislation should be aimed at enforcing the equal treatment of all people.

● In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million American correctional population. African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of White Americans. In addition, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans make up approximately 32% of the US population, they comprised 56% of all incarcerated people in 2015.

● In the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 17 million White Americans and 4 million African Americans reported having used an illicit drug within the last month. But the imprisonment rate of African Americans for drug charges is almost 6 times that of White Americans.

● African Americans represent 12.5% of illicit drug users, but 29% of those arrested for drug offenses and 33% of those incarcerated in state facilities for drug offenses.

● According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012” project, African American and Asian American renters were less likely to be shown extra homes by landlords when searching for rental units, and also were more likely to be told fewer units were available than were available to their equally qualified White American counterparts.

● Agents quote slightly higher rents to African and Hispanic Americans than to White Americans with equal renter qualification.

● African American homebuyers were more likely to require pre-qualification than white homebuyers with equal qualification. Agents also spent more time showing homes and discussing home buying with White American buyers compared to minority group buyers.  . End Racial Profiling through legislation at all levels of government

● We support legislation at all levels of state and federal government that ends racial profiling and we reject any form of current discriminatory practices.

● Racial Profiling is the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of criminal activity based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.

●  Recent studies have shown that police still stop African-American drivers at disproportionate rates than white drivers. In fact, when police initiated an interaction with a suspect, they were  twice as likely to threaten or use force against African-Americans than white residents.

● The use of stop-and-frisk policies is particularly discriminatory. For example, in 2010, African-Americans residents in New York City were eight times more likely to be stopped by the police and eleven times more likely to be frisked than white residents.   Close the Racial Wealth Gap

● The wealth gap is vast and real. According to the US Census, on average, African American homeowner net worth is $9.6k, Hispanic American homeowner net worth is $17.5k, and White American homeowner net worth is $102.8k. Furthermore, African American households earn $58 for every $100 White American households earn.

● Systemic racism from slavery to the Jim Crow laws of the mid-1900s prevented African American families from building wealth; home loans in the 1930s were segregated, and families of color were barred from owning properties. The racially skewed criminal justice system further inhibited colored communities from prospering.

● Infant mortality has strong links to wealth and race in the united states. Wealth impacts nutrition and health care opportunities for mothers and unborn babies. Research published by the National Institute of Health states that maternal mortality rate for black women is more than three times higher than for white women. This has risen to more than nine women per 100,000 pregnancies since 2008, while the rate for white women has gone up by less than five women per 100,000 pregnancies. The CDC also states that the black infant mortality rate is more than double the white infant mortality rate. If one compares these trends with household average net worth from the US Census, the mortality rate by race is in line with average net worth per household by race.

●  Changes across multiple levels of government and society can remedy these problems.

○ Affordable housing can offer low-income families of color in cities the ability to raise children in safe environments, helping them to prosper in their education. After the White House’s HUD budget cuts, only $3.5 million in federal funds go towards the Affordable Housing Act in PA, with minimal further assistance from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth should be taking further action to ensure no Pennsylvanians lack safe homes by passing legislation to supplement federal housing funds with state general funds.According to PA House Resolution 311, housing is considered affordable if housing costs take up no more than 30% of a household's income, yet nearly half of all Pennsylvanians pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities  combined. Pennsylvania is experiencing a shortage of over 279,000 rental homes that are affordable for extremely low income renters

○ Universal preschool would allow children of non-White American families to access high-quality early education, allowing for educational development at an early age, and also affording parents opportunities to access higher education and/or more work hours.

○ Targeting funding to schools in low-income areas can afford more young adults of color opportunities to contribute to higher education, the workforce, and the economy in more impactful ways, improving the economy for all people, not just the benefactors of targeted school funding. Repair the Voting Rights Act by federal legislation to restore full protections for all voters

● In 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder that states, most of them in the South, did not have to abide by preclearance laws with the federal government before making changes to their voting laws. The decision was based on the argument that treating states differently was unconstitutional, even if some of the states in question had a history of racial disparity at the polls.  

●  Two months after the ruling, North Carolina passed HB 589 and instituted a strict photo ID requirement; curtailed early voting; eliminated same day registration; restricted pre-registration; ended annual voter registration drives; and eliminated the authority of county boards of elections to keep polls open for an additional hour. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the law in July 2016, finding that it targeted “African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

● Texas also tried to implement restricted photo ID requirements at the polls, which could have prevented over half a million registered Texans from voting, had it not been struck down after NAACP intervention.

●  Within constitutional limits, the Voting Rights Act must be repaired to once again require preclearance laws in states with histories of voter laws that impact minority groups more harmfully than whites. While some of the state actions to restrict voting have been struck down, minority advocacy groups should not have to go to court in defense of voter rights, when every American citizen is supposed to have equal voter rights.   End Systematic Racism Pursuing racial justice is a core component of the DCDC’s mission. Ending systematic racism, which presents itself in many issues and aspects of policy across Pennsylvania, must be removed if all are to have opportunities to achieve the American Dream. The DCDC supports federal and Pennsylvania legislation to curb racial discrimination in law enforcement, housing, health care, and employment. Legislation should be aimed at enforcing the equal treatment of all people.

● In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million American correctional population. African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of White Americans. In addition, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans make up approximately 32% of the US population, they comprised 56% of all incarcerated people in 2015.

● In the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 17 million White Americans and 4 million African Americans reported having used an illicit drug within the last month. But the imprisonment rate of African Americans for drug charges is almost 6 times that of White Americans.

● African Americans represent 12.5% of illicit drug users, but 29% of those arrested for drug offenses and 33% of those incarcerated in state facilities for drug offenses.

● According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012” project, African American and Asian American renters were less likely to be shown extra homes by landlords when searching for rental units, and also were more likely to be told fewer units were available than were available to their equally qualified White American counterparts.

● Agents quote slightly higher rents to African and Hispanic Americans than to White Americans with equal renter qualification.

● African American homebuyers were more likely to require pre-qualification than white homebuyers with equal qualification. Agents also spent more time showing homes and discussing home buying with White American buyers compared to minority group buyers.  . End Racial Profiling through legislation at all levels of government

● We support legislation at all levels of state and federal government that ends racial profiling and we reject any form of current discriminatory practices.

● Racial Profiling is the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of criminal activity based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.

●  Recent studies have shown that police still stop African-American drivers at disproportionate rates than white drivers. In fact, when police initiated an interaction with a suspect, they were  twice as likely to threaten or use force against African-Americans  than white residents.

● The use of stop-and-frisk policies is particularly discriminatory. For example, in 2010, African-Americans residents in New York City were eight times more likely to be stopped by the police and eleven times more likely to be frisked than white residents.   Close the Racial Wealth Gap

● The wealth gap is vast and real. According to the US Census, on average, African American homeowner net worth is $9.6k, Hispanic American homeowner net worth is $17.5k, and White American homeowner net worth is $102.8k. Furthermore, African American households earn $58 for every $100 White American households earn.

● Systemic racism from slavery to the Jim Crow laws of the mid-1900s prevented African American families from building wealth; home loans in the 1930s were segregated, and families of color were barred from owning properties. The racially skewed criminal justice system further inhibited colored communities from prospering.

● Infant mortality has strong links to wealth and race in the united states. Wealth impacts nutrition and health care opportunities for mothers and unborn babies. Research published by the National Institute of Health states that maternal mortality rate for black women is more than three times higher than for white women. This has risen to more than nine women per 100,000 pregnancies since 2008, while the rate for white women has gone up by less than five women per 100,000 pregnancies. The CDC also states that the black infant mortality rate is more than double the white infant mortality rate. If one compares these trends with household average net worth from the US Census, the mortality rate by race is in line with average net worth per household by race.

● Changes across multiple levels of government and society can remedy these problems. ○  Affordable housing can offer low-income families of color in cities the ability to raise children in safe environments, helping them to prosper in their education. After the White House’s HUD budget cuts, only $3.5 million in federal funds go towards the Affordable Housing Act in PA, with minimal further assistance from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth should be taking further action to ensure no Pennsylvanians lack safe homes by passing legislation to supplement federal housing funds with state general funds.According to PA House Resolution 311, housing is considered affordable if housing costs take up no more than 30% of a household's income, yet nearly half of all Pennsylvanians pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities  combined. Pennsylvania is experiencing a shortage of over 279,000 rental homes that are affordable for extremely low income renters ○  Universal preschool would allow children of non-White American families to access high-quality early education, allowing for educational development at an early age, and also affording parents opportunities to access higher education and/or more work hours. ○  Targeting funding to schools in low-income areas can afford more young adults of color opportunities to contribute to higher education, the workforce, and the economy in more impactful ways, improving the economy for all people, not just the benefactors of targeted school funding. Repair the Voting Rights Act by federal legislation to restore full protections for all voters

● In 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder that states, most of them in the South, did not have to abide by preclearance laws with the federal government before making changes to their voting laws. The decision was based on the argument that treating states differently was unconstitutional, even if some of the states in question had a history of racial disparity at the polls.  

●  Two months after the ruling, North Carolina passed HB 589 and instituted a strict photo ID requirement; curtailed early voting; eliminated same day registration; restricted pre-registration; ended annual voter registration drives; and eliminated the authority of county boards of elections to keep polls open for an additional hour. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the law in July 2016, finding that it targeted “African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

● Texas also tried to implement restricted photo ID requirements at the polls, which could have prevented over half a million registered Texans from voting, had it not been struck down after NAACP intervention.

●  Within constitutional limits, the Voting Rights Act must be repaired to once again require preclearance laws in states with histories of voter laws that impact minority groups more harmfully than whites. While some of the state actions to restrict voting have been struck down, minority advocacy groups should not have to go to court in defense of voter rights, when every American citizen is supposed to have equal voter rights.   End Systematic Racism Pursuing racial justice is a core component of the DCDC’s mission. Ending systematic racism, which presents itself in many issues and aspects of policy across Pennsylvania, must be removed if all are to have opportunities to achieve the American Dream. The DCDC supports federal and Pennsylvania legislation to curb racial discrimination in law enforcement, housing, health care, and employment. Legislation should be aimed at enforcing the equal treatment of all people.

● In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million American correctional population. African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of White Americans. In addition, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans make up approximately 32% of the US population, they comprised 56% of all incarcerated people in 2015.

● In the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 17 million White Americans and 4 million African Americans reported having used an illicit drug within the last month. But the imprisonment rate of African Americans for drug charges is almost 6 times that of White Americans.

● African Americans represent 12.5% of illicit drug users, but 29% of those arrested for drug offenses and 33% of those incarcerated in state facilities for drug offenses.

● According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012” project, African American and Asian American renters were less likely to be shown extra homes by landlords when searching for rental units, and also were more likely to be told fewer units were available than were available to their equally qualified White American counterparts. ● Agents quote slightly higher rents to African and Hispanic Americans than to White Americans with equal renter qualification.

● African American homebuyers were more likely to require pre-qualification than white homebuyers with equal qualifications. Agents also spent more time showing homes and discussing home buying with White American buyers compared to minority group buyers.  . End Racial Profiling through legislation at all levels of government

● We support legislation at all levels of state and federal government that ends racial profiling and we reject any form of current discriminatory practices.

● Racial Profiling is the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of criminal activity based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.

●  Recent studies have shown that police still stop African-American drivers at disproportionate rates than white drivers. In fact, when police initiated interaction with a suspect, they were twice as likely to threaten or use force against African-Americans than white residents.

● The use of stop-and-frisk policies is particularly discriminatory. For example, in 2010, African-Americans residents in New York City were eight times more likely to be stopped by the police and eleven times more likely to be frisked than white residents.   Close the Racial Wealth Gap

● The wealth gap is vast and real. According to the US Census, on average, African American homeowner net worth is $9.6k, Hispanic American homeowner net worth is $17.5k, and White American homeowner net worth is $102.8k. Furthermore, African American households earn $58 for every $100 White American households earn.

● Systemic racism from slavery to the Jim Crow laws of the mid-1900s prevented African American families from building wealth; home loans in the 1930s were segregated, and families of color were barred from owning properties. The racially skewed criminal justice system further inhibited colored communities from prospering.

● Infant mortality has strong links to wealth and race in the united states. Wealth impacts nutrition and health care opportunities for mothers and unborn babies. Research published by the National Institute of Health states that maternal mortality rate for black women is more than three times higher than for white women. This has risen to more than nine women per 100,000 pregnancies since 2008, while the rate for white women has gone up by less than five women per 100,000 pregnancies. The CDC also states that the black infant mortality rate is more than double the white infant mortality rate. If one compares these trends with household average net worth from the US Census, the mortality rate by race is in line with average net worth per household by race.

● Changes across multiple levels of government and society can remedy these problems.

○ Affordable housing can offer low-income families of color in cities the ability to raise children in safe environments, helping them to prosper in their education. After the White House’s HUD budget cuts, only $3.5 million in federal funds go towards the Affordable Housing Act in PA, with minimal further assistance from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth should be taking further action to ensure no Pennsylvanians lack safe homes by passing legislation to supplement federal housing funds with state general funds.According to PA House Resolution 311, housing is considered affordable if housing costs take up no more than 30% of a household's income, yet nearly half of all Pennsylvanians pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities  combined. Pennsylvania is experiencing a shortage of over 279,000 rental homes that are affordable for extremely low income renters ○  Universal preschool would allow children of non-White American families to access high-quality early education, allowing for educational development at an early age, and also affording parents opportunities to access higher education and/or more work hours. ○  Targeting funding to schools in low-income areas can afford more young adults of color opportunities to contribute to higher education, the workforce, and the economy in more impactful ways, improving the economy for all people, not just the benefactors of targeted school funding. Repair the Voting Rights Act by federal legislation to restore full protections for all voters

● In 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder that states, most of them in the South, did not have to abide by preclearance laws with the federal government before making changes to their voting laws. The decision was based on the argument that treating states differently was unconstitutional, even if some of the states in question had a history of racial disparity at the polls.  

●  Two months after the ruling, North Carolina passed HB 589 and instituted a strict photo ID requirement; curtailed early voting; eliminated same day registration; restricted pre-registration; ended annual voter registration drives; and eliminated the authority of county boards of elections to keep polls open for an additional hour. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the law in July 2016, finding that it targeted “African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

● Texas also tried to implement restricted photo ID requirements at the polls, which could have prevented over half a million registered Texans from voting, had it not been struck down after NAACP intervention.

●  Within constitutional limits, the Voting Rights Act must be repaired to once again require preclearance laws in states with histories of voter laws that impact minority groups more harmfully than whites. While some of the state actions to restrict voting have been struck down, minority advocacy groups should not have to go to court in defense of voter rights, when every American citizen is supposed to have equal voter rights.   End Systematic Racism Pursuing racial justice is a core component of the DCDC’s mission. Ending systematic racism, which presents itself in many issues and aspects of policy across Pennsylvania, must be removed if all are to have opportunities to achieve the American Dream. The DCDC supports federal and Pennsylvania legislation to curb racial discrimination in law enforcement, housing, health care, and employment. Legislation should be aimed at enforcing the equal treatment of all people.

● In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million American correctional population. African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of White Americans. In addition, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans make up approximately 32% of the US population, they comprised 56% of all incarcerated people in 2015.

● In the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 17 million White Americans and 4 million African Americans reported having used an illicit drug within the last month. But the imprisonment rate of African Americans for drug charges is almost 6 times that of White Americans.

● African Americans represent 12.5% of illicit drug users, but 29% of those arrested for drug offenses and 33% of those incarcerated in state facilities for drug offenses.

● According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities 2012” project, African American and Asian American renters were less likely to be shown extra homes by landlords when searching for rental units and also were more likely to be told fewer units were available than were available to their equally qualified White American counterparts.

● Agents quote slightly higher rents to African and Hispanic Americans than to White Americans with equal renter qualification.

● African American homebuyers were more likely to require pre-qualification than white homebuyers with equal qualification. Agents also spent more time showing homes and discussing home buying with White American buyers compared to minority group buyers.  . End Racial Profiling through legislation at all levels of government

● We support legislation at all levels of state and federal government that ends racial profiling and we reject any form of current discriminatory practices.

● Racial Profiling is the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of criminal activity based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.

●  Recent studies have shown that police still stop African-American drivers at disproportionate rates than white drivers. In fact, when police initiated interaction with a suspect, they were twice as likely to threaten or use force against African-Americans than white residents.

● The use of stop-and-frisk policies is particularly discriminatory. For example, in 2010, African-Americans residents in New York City were eight times more likely to be stopped by the police and eleven times more likely to be frisked than white residents.   Close the Racial Wealth Gap

● The wealth gap is vast and real. According to the US Census, on average, African American homeowner net worth is $9.6k, Hispanic American homeowner net worth is $17.5k, and White American homeowner net worth is $102.8k. Furthermore, African American households earn $58 for every $100 White American households earn.

● Systemic racism from slavery to the Jim Crow laws of the mid-1900s prevented African American families from building wealth; home loans in the 1930s were segregated, and families of color were barred from owning properties. The racially skewed criminal justice system further inhibited colored communities from prospering.

● Infant mortality has strong links to wealth and race in the united states. Wealth impacts nutrition and health care opportunities for mothers and unborn babies. Research published by the National Institute of Health states that the maternal mortality rate for black women is more than three times higher than for white women. This has risen to more than nine women per 100,000 pregnancies since 2008, while the rate for white women has gone up by less than five women per 100,000 pregnancies. The CDC also states that the black infant mortality rate is more than double the white infant mortality rate. If one compares these trends with the household average net worth from the US Census, the mortality rate by race is in line with the average net worth per household by race.

● Changes across multiple levels of government and society can remedy these problems.

○  Affordable housing can offer low-income families of color in cities the ability to raise children in safe environments, helping them to prosper in their education. After the White House’s HUD budget cuts, only $3.5 million in federal funds go towards the Affordable Housing Act in PA, with minimal further assistance from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth should be taking further action to ensure no Pennsylvanians lack safe homes by passing legislation to supplement federal housing funds with state general funds.According to PA House Resolution 311, housing is considered affordable if housing costs take up no more than 30% of a household's income, yet nearly half of all Pennsylvanians pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities  combined. Pennsylvania is experiencing a shortage of over 279,000 rental homes that are affordable for extremely low income renters

○  Universal preschool would allow children of non-White American families to access high-quality early education, allowing for educational development at an early age, and also affording parents opportunities to access higher education and/or more work hours.

○  Targeting funding to schools in low-income areas can afford more young adults of color opportunities to contribute to higher education, the workforce, and the economy in more impactful ways, improving the economy for all people, not just the benefactors of targeted school funding.