House Passes 'Historic' Bill to Restore and Expand Voting RightsRep. John Lewis, D-Ga., flanked by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., discusses the Voting Rights Advancement Act on Friday. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)

Just one Republican—Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania—joined a united House Democratic caucus on Friday to pass what rights groups hailed as “historic” legislation to restore and expand voter protections that were gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013.

Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for Public Citizen, said passage of the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4) is a “critical step” in combating Republican voter suppression efforts that have proliferated in the six years since the Supreme Court’s infamous decision in Shelby County v. Holder.(Jake Johnson)

Posted by The non-Conformist