Joseph Robinette Biden

“ Younger voters are not waiting to inherit the future; they are building the future themselves. Young Americans have been on the front lines in the fight to defend the right to vote and expand access to the ballot box for all eligible voters. Their civic engagement extends beyond voting — with young Americans leading the calls for racial justice, climate action, gun violence prevention, and immigration reform among many other issues. ”

“ Our Constitution recognizes that, as a Nation, we are constantly learning. Our Founders built that recognition into its original design, providing a mechanism to amend our Constitution as our Nation evolved. On July 1, 1971, our Nation ratified the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, lowering the voting age to 18. At the time, 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old Americans were fulfilling their civic duties: paying taxes, serving in our Armed Forces, acting as first responders, laboring in fields, factories, and service jobs across the country, and pursuing higher education. ”

“ My Administration has made public service and civic education a priority, engaging younger Americans in our shared struggle for continual progress. I have directed Federal agencies to consider ways to make it easier to vote and to learn about voting, and to focus on the various ways that the Federal Government engages younger Americans, online and off. Today’s youth are more diverse than past generations — and laws aimed at suppressing voter turnout in Black and Brown communities also impact young voters. ”