Congressman Panetta to Make Pilgrimage to Selma, Alabama to Commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the Selma Marches

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced that he will participate in this year's Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee on Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the series of marches that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bipartisan congressional pilgrimage will be led by Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

"I look forward to joining Congressman John Lewis and my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the 55th anniversary of this historic day. We must continue to protect and advance the legacy of the brave women and men who risked their lives and marched from Selma to Montgomery to demand full and equal participation in our democracy," said Congressman Panetta.

"As we walk in their steps 55 years later, we recommit to continuing to fight for voting rights," said Congressman Panetta. "We in the House proudly passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, to restore necessary voting protections and provide clear and consistent voting laws across the country. I call on our colleagues in the Senate to act to ensure that all Americans can fully participate in our political process."

The Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee is a commemoration of "Bloody Sunday," which occurred March 7, 1965, when nearly 600 civil rights activists were brutally attacked by law enforcement while peacefully marching from Selma to Montgomery on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

The congressional delegation will also visit civil rights landmarks in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma.