Over 150 companies call on Congress to pass voting rights legislation

Over 150 companies, including PepsiCo, Amazon and Target, urged Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, in a letter published Wednesday.

Why it matters: The companies, which collectively employ 4 million U.S. workers, expressed support for the sweeping bill that is named after civil rights leader and former Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died last year. 

• The bill would restore an updated version of the Justice Department's preclearance authority to approve voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination.
• Other signatories include Macy’s, Ikea, Nestlé USA, Patagonia and Cisco.

What they're saying: “Despite decades of progress, impediments to exercising the right to vote persist in many states, especially for communities of color,” the group wrote in a letter to members of Congress.

• “We need federal protections to safeguard this fundamental right for all Americans," the letter reads.