The bipartisan support for renewing the VRA was unique for this Congress, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson told Atlanta Progressive News. It's not the most ideal legislation ever, but it's a good compromise, she said.
Also, it is important that the crucial provisions of the Act be renewed this session because Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has been supportive and it is not certain whether the next Congress's Judiciary Committee Chairman will be as well, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson explained. Sensenbrenner will be subject to chairmanship term limits. If Democrats win the House, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), however, would take over the committee.
The Voting Rights Act, which needs to be renewed by next August before key provisions will expire, was an opportunity created by the Civil Rights Movement; it was not inevitable, but it was demanded by activists, historical scholars have said.
"The Voting Rights Act is the heart and soul of our Democracy. The Voting Rights Act literally ushered in the possibility of transforming electoral politics. In the American South, you had millions who could not vote because of the color of their skin," Lewis said.
Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) wants to extend the Voting Rights Act Section 5 to cover all 50 US states and not just the 9 currently covered.
The basis for determining which states, counties, cities, or other areas require USDOJ scrutiny would be updated from the 1964, 1968, and 1972 elections, to the most recent three US Presidential elections, and this would continuously roll forward in the future, according to a statement on Congressman Norwood's website.
A state would have to exhibit a recent pattern of discrimination or voter turnout under 50% to be subjected to USDOJ scrutiny, Norwood's statement said.
The problem is, by subjecting all 50 states to the possibility of USDOJ scrutiny under Section 5, the VRA reauthorization as proposed by Rep. Norwood would likely be declared unconstitutional, Rep. Lewis said.
The bill passed a constitutional challenge decades ago because it was found to be narrowly crafted to target a specific problem.
USDOJ review is a good mechanism for fighting discrimination against minority voters because court challenges-the usual remedy-can take years to be resolved, long after questionable elections have occurred, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson explained.
"That is an argument that came out in 1963, 1964, and 1965. If it's good enough for the Southern States, then it's good enough for all 50 states. But all 50 states don't have a problem. In New York, it might be a certain county," but the greatest trends of discrimination persist in the US South, Rep. Lewis said.
"Why create a solution [in the other states] when there's not a problem?" Rep. Lewis said.
Areas which show more recent problems can still be added to the list of areas to be scrutinized by the USDOJ, and areas which appear to have addressed their historical problems can still be removed, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson said.
Reps. Norwood and Westmoreland argued the Southern states are being unfairly discriminated against even though they have made some strides to address discrimination against minorities.
"I differ from that argument. Some people have used that... [that] we've come a distance. All that may be true. But the sad fact is Georgia, more than any other state, could be looked at as a poster child for the Voting Rights Act," Rep. Lewis told Atlanta Progressive News.
"There's a long, rich history of gerrymandering, redistricting mid-census, done primarily for political reasons, to dilute power or influence of African Americans' votes in several Congressional districts," Rep. Lewis said.
Also, it is important that the crucial provisions of the Act be renewed this session because Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has been supportive and it is not certain whether the next Congress's Judiciary Committee Chairman will be as well, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson explained. Sensenbrenner will be subject to chairmanship term limits. If Democrats win the House, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), however, would take over the committee.
The Voting Rights Act, which needs to be renewed by next August before key provisions will expire, was an opportunity created by the Civil Rights Movement; it was not inevitable, but it was demanded by activists, historical scholars have said.
"The Voting Rights Act is the heart and soul of our Democracy. The Voting Rights Act literally ushered in the possibility of transforming electoral politics. In the American South, you had millions who could not vote because of the color of their skin," Lewis said.
The basis for determining which states, counties, cities, or other areas require USDOJ scrutiny would be updated from the 1964, 1968, and 1972 elections, to the most recent three US Presidential elections, and this would continuously roll forward in the future, according to a statement on Congressman Norwood's website.
A state would have to exhibit a recent pattern of discrimination or voter turnout under 50% to be subjected to USDOJ scrutiny, Norwood's statement said.
The problem is, by subjecting all 50 states to the possibility of USDOJ scrutiny under Section 5, the VRA reauthorization as proposed by Rep. Norwood would likely be declared unconstitutional, Rep. Lewis said.
The bill passed a constitutional challenge decades ago because it was found to be narrowly crafted to target a specific problem.
USDOJ review is a good mechanism for fighting discrimination against minority voters because court challenges-the usual remedy-can take years to be resolved, long after questionable elections have occurred, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson explained.
"That is an argument that came out in 1963, 1964, and 1965. If it's good enough for the Southern States, then it's good enough for all 50 states. But all 50 states don't have a problem. In New York, it might be a certain county," but the greatest trends of discrimination persist in the US South, Rep. Lewis said.
"Why create a solution [in the other states] when there's not a problem?" Rep. Lewis said.
Areas which show more recent problems can still be added to the list of areas to be scrutinized by the USDOJ, and areas which appear to have addressed their historical problems can still be removed, Rep. Lewis's spokesperson said.
Reps. Norwood and Westmoreland argued the Southern states are being unfairly discriminated against even though they have made some strides to address discrimination against minorities.
"I differ from that argument. Some people have used that... [that] we've come a distance. All that may be true. But the sad fact is Georgia, more than any other state, could be looked at as a poster child for the Voting Rights Act," Rep. Lewis told Atlanta Progressive News.
"There's a long, rich history of gerrymandering, redistricting mid-census, done primarily for political reasons, to dilute power or influence of African Americans' votes in several Congressional districts," Rep. Lewis said.
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