BMES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RELEASES A STATEMENT ON VOTING REFORM

BMES Executive Committee Releases a Statement on Voting Reform 

May 7, 2021 

The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is a leading professional society devoted to developing biomedical engineering knowledge and education and its utilization for human health and well-being. BMES strives to build and nurture a culture and community of inclusiveness across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and experience, and is committed to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the biomedical engineering community and access to health care and health care technologies.  

Several states have passed legislation that creates a vast array of hurdles for citizens to participate in the democratic process. These new laws have a disproportionate impact on voters with disabilities, students, and communities of color, making it more challenging to gain access to polls and participate in voting – a protected civil right and duty in our democratic nation. 
 
BMES signs contracts for events years in advance. As a small yet mighty arm of biomedical engineering professionals, BMES can not afford to pay the penalties to move meetings out of states that pass such laws and still keep our doors open.  

Instead of abandoning the people in the very communities that need uplifting, we double down with them. We double down on bringing money into these communities so they can build up voting rights advocacy efforts that protect those that need it most. We will encourage our members to shop at Black- and Brown-owned stores, and support woman-owned establishments. BMES will create a list of these stores, shops, restaurants, and organizations so that our members can economically support the disenfranchised by spending money, or by donating their time and/or money. BMES pledges to share the "ladder of opportunity" rather than pulling it up behind us, and we urge lawmakers to right the wrongs created by these laws. 

https://www.bmes.org/diversity

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About BMES 

The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is the lead professional society for biomedical engineering and bioengineering. Founded in early 1968, BMES now boasts over 5,000 members and is rapidly growing. Our leadership in accreditation, publications, scientific meetings, and diversity initiatives, as well as our commitment to ethics, all serve our mission to develop and enhance knowledge and education in biomedical engineering worldwide and its utilization for human health and well-being. 

BMES Executive Committee