Congress Aims to Boost Civic Education, Designating September 2025 as 'National Voting Rights Month'

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as “National Voting Rights Month.” It’s a formal statement by Congress that voting rights are critical, and it serves as a high-level push to raise awareness about the history of voter suppression and the ongoing challenges to ballot access across the country. Essentially, this resolution is Congress using its voice to encourage specific actions—both legislative and educational—to strengthen democracy.

The History Lesson That Matters

This resolution doesn't pull any punches when discussing history. It explicitly calls out the decades of tactics used to block minority communities—Black Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and others—from voting through things like literacy tests and poll taxes. More importantly, it connects those historical barriers to modern-day issues, arguing that current tactics like aggressive voter roll purges, voter intimidation, and certain photo ID laws act as new financial and logistical barriers. It also highlights the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision, which removed the federal requirement for states with a history of discrimination to get approval before changing their voting laws, leading to what the resolution calls a surge in discriminatory gerrymandering in states like Texas and Florida.

Pushing Congress to Act

While the designation of a month is largely symbolic, the resolution has two very concrete asks for Congress. First, it strongly encourages the passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025. This proposed law aims to restore and update key parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were weakened by the Supreme Court, specifically focusing on stopping unfair map drawing and protecting minority voting rights. Second, it encourages Congress to pass any other legislation that moves voting rights forward and protects elections. For regular people, this means that Congress is being formally pressured to prioritize legislation that could make it easier to vote, potentially by restoring federal oversight to prevent restrictive laws from being implemented in the first place.

Making Civics Class Relevant

One of the most practical proposals in the resolution is directed at public schools and universities. It suggests that they should create academic lessons focused on voting. These aren't just dry history lectures; the lessons should cover practical knowledge like how to register, where to vote, and the different ways to cast a ballot. Critically, the curriculum should also cover the history of voter suppression and current efforts to restrict voting access. If implemented, this could mean that high school and college students are better equipped to navigate the voting process right when they become eligible, turning abstract civic duty into practical action.

The Call for Public Awareness

Finally, the resolution invites Congress to set aside money to fund public service announcements (PSAs). These would run on TV, radio, social media, and billboards to remind people of election dates, share registration deadlines, and urge participation. While this funding is aspirational—it needs to be appropriated later—if it happens, it means less confusion for busy people trying to figure out when and how to cast their vote. It’s a simple but effective way to cut through the noise and ensure that registration deadlines, like the one leading up to National Voter Registration Day on September 16, 2025, don't sneak up on anyone.