On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is hearing oral argument in a case testing the constitutionality of one of the main sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The court's opinion, expected by the end of June, could dramatically alter federal voting regulations.
The court is weighing whether it was proper for Congress to reauthorize Section 5 of the law in 2006. That section requires jurisdictions with a history of voter discrimination to obtain advanced approval from the Justice Department before making changes to their electoral procedures.
Eight states, mostly in the South, along with much of Virginia and dozens of cities and counties across the country, fall under the requirements.
States and their political subdivisions can "bail out" of the requirements if they meet certain conditions.
The case, Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder, was brought by a Texas utility district that is challenging the law, arguing it should be allowed to "bail out" of Section 5.
As part of the case, the justices are likely to evaluate lawmakers' determination in 2006 that Section 5 had to be renewed.
If the court decides to strike down Section 5, it would remove a 43-year-old bulwark in federal civil rights law and narrow the Congress's authority to pass such legislation. In March, the high court narrowed Section 2 of the law, which bars discriminatory voting practices and procedures.
House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., has filed a friend-of-the-court brief against the utility district, along with Wisconsin Republican F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Democrats Jerrold Nadler of New York and Melvin Watt of North Carolina, and former Ohio Republican Rep. Steve Chabot.
Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Barbara Lee of California, Hispanic Caucus Chairman Nydia M. Velazquez of New York and Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairman Michael M. Honda of California also filed a friend-of the-court brief against the utility district on behalf of their respective congressional caucuses. Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis, a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, filed his own friend-of-the-court brief supporting the law.
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European Americans KIDNAPPED, BROUGHT HERE IN CHAINS, ENSLAVED, MURDERED & SHAMELESSLY DEGRADED AFRICANS FROM 1619 to 1964 - or for some 245 YEARS. From the 13th. Amendment to the Voting Rights Act - another 103 YEARS - African Americans have suffered essentially an 'Aparthied Existance' in a nation they were forced to help build for 1/4 of a Millenium!
The purpose of the Voting Rights Act is to protect the Right of this nation's African American & other Non-White citizens -from the systematic abuse
they've suffered since 1619! Now, UNCLE THOMAS, Roberts, Kennedy & the 2 ITALIANS want to water it down further under pressure from the WEALTHY OLD WHITEBOY 1%-ERS, GOP & 'COPPERHEAD' DEMO-CRAPS.
Americans must understand ONCE & FOR ALL this nation is & will be as weak as its WEAKEST citizens!
Posted by: JosephConrad
| April 28, 2009 12:12 AM
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