Currents News Staff
On the day celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, his family is calling for action.
“Today my message to you is simple, do not celebrate – legislate!” said Yolanda Renee King, the granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
People from more than 100 national and grassroots organizations joined the King family in a march in Washington D.C. and they’re demanding Congress to pass the voting rights legislation.
“Don’t tell us what you believe in, show us with your votes,” said Martin Luther King III, the son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The legislation would give the federal government more oversight in setting voting regulations. Vice President Kamala Harris echoed the King family’s call.
“This bill represents the first real opportunity to secure the freedom to vote since the United States Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act nearly a decade ago,” said Vice President Harris.
They’re hoping to put pressure on Democrats Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema. While both senators support voting rights reform, they oppose changing filibuster rules to get it passed.
“Eliminating the 60 vote threshold will simply guarantee we will lose a critical tool that we need to safeguard our democracy,” said Arizona Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
No matter the outcome, the heirs to Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy vow to keep fighting.
“We must keep the pressure on and say no more empty words,” said King III.