Legislative Calls to Action -- May 13, 2026

Continued Fallout of Supreme Court Decision

Last week, the Supreme Court destroyed what little remained of the Voting Rights Act. In Louisiana v. Callais on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Court eliminated the law’s protections against lawmakers drawing maps that dilute the political power of minority voters. The decision continued more than a decade of the Court’s assaults on what is often called the crown jewel of the civil rights movement. 

The opinion’s reasoning is based in part on a claim that is simply not factual. Pointing out that Black and white turnout reached parity in “two of the five most recent Presidential elections,” Justice Samuel Alito assured Americans that racial disparities in voting are no longer a problem. But Alito’s claim represents egregious cherry-picking, as he was not referring to recent elections, but to those in 2008 and 2012 — the years that Barack Obama ran for president. In the three most recent presidential elections, the trend shows exactly the opposite. The indisputable fact is the racial turnout gap is widening, and the Roberts Court is partially responsible.

 Until Callais, the Voting Rights Act’s antidiscrimination protections partly served as a constraint on states seeking untrammeled partisan advantage in drawing election maps. No longer. Even though the midterm election cycle is already well underway, several GOP-controlled southern states — including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee — have responded swiftly to the decision with efforts to draw more extreme gerrymanders. More such efforts are likely after the midterms at both the state and local levels, including responsive efforts to pass gerrymanders favoring Democrats. For more of this article see: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/finishing-voting-rights-act-supreme-court-declares-racism-over-again and https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/now-states-and-voters-will-determine-how-far-gerrymandering-can-go 

Other State Supreme Court decisions impacting the legislative balance

Supreme Courts in Washington and Richmond changed the entire election cycle with two blockbuster decisions. For Johnson and House Republicans, this was a second chance, of sorts. As many as 10 House seats were affected by these twin decisions, though the outcome remains very fluid. Tennessee Republicans eliminated Democrat Steve Cohen’s seat. Republicans are expected to gain at least one seat in Johnson’s home state of Louisiana. Alabama could yield two GOP seats if SCOTUS clears the way. South Carolina Republicans may try to get rid of longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn’s seat. A decision on that will come this week, though Clyburn says he can still get elected.

This week in Congress

• Senate Republicans are evaluating a $1 billion security proposal for the White House East Wing renovation, part of a $70 billion immigration enforcement bill facing parliamentary hurdles this week. Security upgrades gained momentum after Cole Tomas Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner last month. The White House describes the project as "heavily fortified." Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pledged to block the ballroom funding, labeling the legislation a "billion-dollar ballroom" project. Democrats plan to force votes on the spending package, which Republicans are advancing through a partisan budget maneuver. (Ground News) 

• Senate GOP leaders are preparing the reconciliation bill for a floor vote the week of May 18. Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans are teeing up a potential markup for May 19. The Homeland Security panel is also eyeing a vote around then. The Budget Committee will then hold its own markup to stitch the bill together. (Punchbowl News)

• Farm bill problems. The House passed its farm bill in a last-minute rush before leaving for last week’s recess. Farm-state Republicans caved at the last minute, pushing off a vote on allowing the year-round sale of E15. Now the House has to vote on Wednesday to decouple the bill from the overall farm bill. This will be a tough vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune will find similar problems. If the House passes the E15 bill, Thune said he would seek to marry it with the farm bill in the Senate. But it’s not clear he’ll be able to do so due to opposition from oil-heavy states. Remember that Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso is from an oil-producing state, as are many Senate Republicans. This may not be a divide Thune can bridge. The House also removed a provision that acted as a liability shield for pesticide companies. This is going to cause problems in the Senate. (Punchbowl News)

• Bi-Partisan legislation to prohibit members of Congress, the president and others in the executive branch from trading in certain prediction markets, will be introduced. Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) and Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) will introduce the Preventing Real-time Exploitation and Deceptive Insider Congressional Trading Act, or PREDICT Act, Tuesday to ban members of Congress from participating in prediction markets related to political events or policy decisions. The ban would also extend to dependents and spouses of lawmakers, senior congressional staff, political appointees, the president,  vice president and all senior executive branch employees, including special government employees. Senator Todd Young supports this legislation. (Politico)