ACLU Urges House to Act on Voting Rights Act Reauthorization

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media@dcaclu.org

WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed its disappointment that the House Republican leadership cancelled a scheduled vote on legislation to renew and restore the Voting Rights Act. The House was expected to consider the bipartisan and bicameral, “Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006” (H.R. 9) today. That bill would renew three key provisions of the act that are set to expire in 2007.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“We are extremely disappointed that a small faction of Republican lawmakers has derailed the bipartisan attempts to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act. We hope that this is only a temporary delay in the efforts to ensure that this law, critical to protecting the voting rights of all Americans, is renewed. The bill has strong bipartisan support in both chambers, and was passed by the House Judiciary Committee with only one dissenting vote.”

“The fundamental right to vote must be protected, but today’s decision to pull the vote was influenced by recent actions of Congressmen Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Charles Norwood (R-GA) and Dan Lungren (R-CA). These particular lawmakers are trying to gut the vital protections of the Voting Rights Act. As Congress moves forward with reauthorization of the bill, lawmakers must reject any attempts to weaken or dilute the law.”

The ACLU’s letter to Congress urging passage of H.R. 9 is available at: www.aclu.org/votingrights/gen/25951leg20060620.html

To read more about the ACLU’s campaign to renew the Voting Rights Act, go to: www.aclu.org/voting-rights