Over 150 companies involving Apple Inc, Best Buy Co Inc and PepsiCo urged to the US lawmakers to bring forth and pass a voting reform act in a letter signed on Wednesday.
The companies asked the lawmakers to reinitiate the John Lewis Advancement Act. This is an amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 named after the late US Representative John Lewis who died a year ago. The act would prevent voting discrimination and ensure improved system for the states to report changes in election law.
Chip Berg, CEO of Levis Strauss & Co, who is a signatory to the letter stated, “We have a duty to work until every American can participate in our democracy, but that won’t happen until every eligible voter in this country has fair, equitable and safe access to voting.”
The companies are among a group of corporate executives named Business for Voting Rights.
The companies through the letter put forward, “The Business community is proud of our role in encouraging our employees, customers and communities to exercise their rights to vote and have a say in our government.”
The US companies have voiced in the support of voting rights reforms and against restrictions on voting that have passed in the Republican controlled states along with Georgia. Few companies have even come under fire from the elected officials under this ground.
Former President Donald Trump along with his supporters made several unfounded claims that suggested that there was a massive voter fraud in the 2020 elections.
As per Reuters reports, Democrats are likely to reintroduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
Another voting reform act, the ‘For the People Act’ has languished in the congress. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden commented in Philadelphia that the act must be passed. However, he did not mention a path for it to overcome the Republican opposition.