As the school year wraps up and the warm weather of the summer looms on the horizon, millions of Americans are starting a new chapter in their lives – graduation is a major achievement.

The fate of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) now lies with the Supreme Court. For the second time in as many months, the justices are hearing arguments on vital legislation that has encouraged active participation in our democracy for nearly two decades.

The lawyer’s lounge in the Supreme Court building is a soothing shade of green with high ceilings, large windows and portraits of obscure associate justices from centuries past staring down from the walls. As a general rule, members of the Supreme Court bar who can’t find a seat in the actual courtroom can listen to oral arguments from the comfort of a sofa or armchair ranged along the walls of the lounge.

On Wednesday, February 27, the Supreme Court will review Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, a case that questions the constitutionality of Section 5 the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, the landmark legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices.