Over 1000 Veterans Release Letter On Failure of Senate to Pass Voting Rights

Letter led by retired Major General Paul Eaton says Senate failure “is an insult to us and those who died fighting alongside us.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The largest progressive group of veterans in America, VoteVets, is today releasing an open letter to Congress, signed by 1464 veterans, including Major General (Ret.) Paul Eaton, on the Senate’s failure to pass voting rights legislation, this week.

The group had strongly pushed for passage of the legislation, which would restore safeguards against voter disenfranchisement, while expanding access to the ballot. Many veterans, particularly disabled veterans, have benefitted from increased access to the ballot.

The full letter is below.

Dear Representatives and Senators,

This week, the US Senate failed to do what we and they swore an oath to do – protect the constitution of the United States, and the bedrock of that system, our right to vote. With a wave of voter suppression laws being passed by majority votes in legislatures around the country, the Senate failed to allow a majority vote to combat those laws.

We put our lives on the line for this country and system we hold so dear, and the failure today is an insult to us and those who died fighting alongside us.

Nonetheless, wars aren’t won or lost after one battle, and the war to preserve our democracy continues. We urge people to not give up, but get louder. We will stand with all leaders who keep the fight going, and will stand up against those undermining the right of the people to vote, and have that vote count.

Sincerely,

Major General Paul D. Eaton (Ret)

Senior Advisor, VoteVets

Co-signed by 1463 U.S. Military Veterans of VoteVets