WASHINGTON — Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after President Biden delivered remarks today in Philadelphia on voting rights:

“We welcome President Biden’s commitments today and applaud the steps he has taken thus far. He must do even more and use the full weight of his office to protect the freedom to vote and stop the onslaught of un-American, anti-voter scams being pushed across the country. Pennsylvania is just one of many states where politicians have spread lies about an election that trusted officials conducted and verified.

“This existential crisis of democracy requires urgent action as some erect deliberate barriers to the ballot box for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and new Americans. Supporters of democracy will continue to organize and advocate, but we cannot organize our way out of this threat. It is up to our elected officials to hear supporters and act to protect our democracy. The president and vice president must do everything possible to ensure legislation like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act become law, even if that means supporting the change of archaic Senate rules to protect our freedom to vote.”