Voting Rights Act renewal debate in the Senate today (7/20/06)

[TayTay]

Here is what the Senate will be voting on:

S.2703
Title: A bill to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Sen Specter, Arlen (introduced 5/3/2006) Cosponsors (57)
Related Bills: H.R.9
Latest Major Action: 7/19/2006 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 523.
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SUMMARY AS OF:
5/3/2006--Introduced.

Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 - Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise requirements for: (1) the use of election examiners and observers; (2) declaratory judgment on the issue of voting qualifications or standards intended to diminish the ability of U.S. citizens to elect preferred candidates; and (3) award of attorney fees in enforcement proceedings to include expert fees and other reasonable costs of litigation.

Extends bilingual election requirements through August 5, 2032. Revises the requirements for determining states and political subdivisions covered by them to require use of 2010 American Community Survey census data.

Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with respect to the prohibition against the use of tests or devices to deny the right to vote in any federal, state, or local election. Extends both the prohibition and the date for mandatory congressional reconsideration of it.

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Perhaps a speech by one of the taller US Senators in favor of this is in order, no? The Senate has scheduled 8 hours of debate with a vote sometime early this evening.

[Blaukraut]

1. That ought to be interesting

A speech by our Senator would definitely add a lot to the debate.

[TayTay]

2. Yeah, especially after Cronyn's speech

He was very cranky today because he thinks that the Voting Rights Act might be used wrong. (You know, he supports minorities and their rights, but geesh, do we have to have districts that are favorable to them on, like, purpose? Isn't that, ahm, discriminatory? --- Cornyn is such a weasel.)

Cornyn wants a 'signing statement' on the bill before it gets out of Congress, one that states that everyone should have the right to vote, and there should be no reverse discrimination either. (Again, what a weasel.)