Before his death from cancer last week, U.S. Representative John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, left an indelible mark on civil rights in this country, drawing attention to the inequalities faced by African Americans and working tirelessly to eradicate them, first as an advocate and later a congressman.
To honor Lewis' legacy and the spirit of his efforts, the Edmund Pettus Bridge should be renamed after Lewis. And Congress must make it a priority to pass a new voting rights bill that better protects citizens from discrimination and name it after the late civil rights icon.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement after Lewis' death that said: "Our great nation's history has only bent towards justice because great men like John Lewis took it upon themselves to help bend it." Mr. McConnell should do his part in bending further toward that justice. The Republican-led Senate must recognize the value of protecting the right to vote and pass the new Voting Rights Act.