WASHINGTON— Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Brnovich v. DNC and upheld Arizona state laws that restricted access to the ballot box for Arizona voters:

“The foundation of our democracy rests on access to the ballot box, and the ability of every citizen to elect their leaders and participate in elections. Today’s decision takes a sledgehammer to that foundation and gives a green light to states like Arizona to enact further restrictions that target minority voters and limit their ability to exercise their right to vote. Once again, a conservative court has gutted a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act and made it more difficult for minority voters to prove discriminatory intent when state legislatures pass new voting laws.

“This decision demonstrates now more than ever that we must do everything in our power to strengthen federal voter protections to prevent states from disenfranchising communities of color. It’s time to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act, and we can’t let an arcane Senate rule like the filibuster to stand in the way. The future of our democracy hangs in the balance.”

###