The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a proposed piece of bipartisan legislation aimed at restoring and strengthening the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which were significantly weakened by the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder. This ruling invalidated the formula used to determine which jurisdictions required federal preclearance for changes to voting laws, leading to a surge in voter suppression tactics. The Act seeks to modernize the Voting Rights Act by establishing new criteria for identifying states and localities with histories of discriminatory voting practices, requiring them to obtain federal approval before implementing new voting rules. It also enhances election integrity by mandating protections against voter intimidation, improving access for marginalized communities, addressing modern challenges like gerrymandering and restrictive voting laws, and implementing measures like automatic voter registration and expanded early voting.

First introduced in 2015 as the Voting Rights Advancement Act, it was reintroduced and renamed in 2021 to honor civil rights icon John R. Lewis following his death. In the 117th Congress (2021-2022), it was H.R. 4 in the House and S. 4 in the Senate, passing the House but stalling in the Senate due to the filibuster. It was reintroduced in the 119th Congress (2025-2026) as H.R. 14 on March 5, 2025, by Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) in the House, and S. something on July 29, 2025, by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in the Senate. Supported by organizations like the Brennan Center for Justice and the Human Rights Campaign, the bill focuses on preventing discrimination, ensuring equitable voting access, and bolstering election security.

The legislation has been a focal point in ongoing debates over voting rights, with proponents arguing it is essential to combat systemic racism in elections, while critics, primarily Republicans, contend it federalizes elections excessively and undermines state authority. Despite multiple reintroductions, it has not yet become law, highlighting deep partisan divides in Congress on electoral reforms.