[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1246-E1248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   VOTING RIGHTS REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 21, 2006

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed by the Republican 
leadership's decision to pull this important bipartisan legislation 
from Floor debate this week. The Voting Rights Act has made a 
significant difference in ensuring the full inclusion of minorities in 
the American political process. The legislation pulled today will 
extend for 25 years key provisions that are set to expire in 2007. 
While this country has a rich history of valuing the right to vote, it, 
unfortunately, has a checkered past in ensuring the full access that 
the Constitution guarantees.
  The Voting Rights Act was signed into law 5 months after voting 
rights protesters were beaten as they walked from Selma to Montgomery, 
Alabama on what became known as ``Bloody Sunday.'' Earlier this week, I 
held a forum on the need to extend the Voting Rights Act. I heard 
personal stories from my colleagues in Congress and members of the 
civil rights community that illustrate the need to extend this 
legislation. I commend Congressmen John Conyers, Mel Watt and other 
members of the Judiciary Committee for their hard work on this bill. I 
hope that the Republican Leadership can resolve its issues with this 
landmark legislation and bring it to the House floor as soon as 
possible.

[[Page E1247]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, June 22, 2006 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                JUNE 23
     1 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold a closed briefing on State Department and Defense 
           Department cooperation overseas.
                                                    S-407, Capitol

                                JUNE 27
     10 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine implementation of the Energy 
           Policy Act provisions on enhancing oil and gas 
           production on Federal lands in the Rocky Mountain 
           Region.
                                                            SD-366
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Eric 
           Solomon, of New Jersey, to be Assistant Secretary of 
           the Treasury for Tax Policy.
                                                            SD-215
       Appropriations
       Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         Business meeting to markup H.R. 5386, making 
           appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
           environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
           ending September 30, 2007.
                                                            SD-124
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, 
           and the District of Columbia Subcommittee
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Office of 
           Personnel Management, focusing on whether the Office of 
           Personnel Management is positioned to be the Federal 
           government's leader in personnel policy today and in 
           the future.
                                                            SD-342
       Aging
         To hold hearings to examine if medical tourism can reduce 
           health care costs relating to the globalization of 
           health care.
                                                            SD-106
       Joint Economic Committee
         To hold hearings to examine prospects for U.S. economic 
           expansion.
                                                         2118 RHOB
     10:30 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the use of presidential 
           signing statements, which are issued when a president 
           signs new laws.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Judiciary
       Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the continuing need for 
           Federal examiners and observers to ensure electoral 
           integrity.
                                                            SD-226
       Appropriations
       Energy and Water Subcommittee
         Business meeting to markup H.R. 5427, making 
           appropriations for energy and water development for the 
           fiscal year ending September 30, 2007.
                                                            SD-138
       Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
       Housing and Transportation Subcommittee
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the current state 
           of progress and future outlook relating to SAFETEA-LU 
           implementation.
                                                            SD-538

                                JUNE 28
     9:30 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold an oversight hearing on Environmental Protection 
           Agency regional inconsistencies.
                                                            SD-628
       Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Native American 
           Housing Programs.
                                                            SR-485
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine hedge funds and independent 
           analysts.
                                                            SD-226
     10 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         Business meeting to consider an original bill, to exempt 
           from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 
           1954 U.S. exports to India of nuclear materials, 
           equipment and technology, the nominations of Earl 
           Anthony Wayne, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to 
           Argentina, Gaddi H. Vasquez, of California, for the 
           rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as U.S. 
           Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food 
           and Agriculture, John Clint Williamson, of Louisiana, 
           to be Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues, 
           Michael E. Ranneberger, of Virginia, to be Ambassador 
           to the Republic of Kenya, Eric M. Bost, of Texas, to be 
           Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, W. Stuart 
           Symington IV, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to the 
           Republic of Djibouti, Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, of New 
           Jersey, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, 
           Robert O. Blake, Jr., of Maryland, to be Ambassador to 
           the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and to 
           serve concurrently and without additional compensation 
           as Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives, Robert D. 
           McCallum, Jr., of Georgia, to be Ambassador to 
           Australia, and Leslie V. Rowe, of Washington, to be 
           Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, and to serve 
           concurrently and without additional compensation as 
           Ambassador to the Solomon Islands and Ambassador to the 
           Republic of Vanuatu.
                                                            SD-419
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         Business meeting to consider proposed Older Americans Act 
           Amendments of 2006, S. 3546, Dietary Supplement and 
           Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act, S. 707, 
           to reduce preterm labor and delivery and the risk of 
           pregnancy-related deaths and complications due to 
           pregnancy, and to reduce infant mortality caused by 
           prematurity, S. 757, to amend the Public Health Service 
           Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute 
           of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the 
           development and operation of research centers regarding 
           environmental factors that may be related to the 
           etiology of breast cancer, and any pending nominations; 
           to be followed by a hearing on biodefense.
                                                            SD-430
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Mickey D. 
           Barnett, of New Mexico, Katherine C. Tobin, of New 
           York, and Ellen C. Williams, of Kentucky, each to be a 
           Governor of the United States Postal Service.
                                                            SD-342
     10:30 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Marc 
           Spitzer, of Arizona, to be a Member of the Federal 
           Energy Regulatory Commission.
                                                            SD-366
     2 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Kimberly 
           Ann Moore, of Virginia, to be United States Circuit 
           Judge for the Federal Circuit, and Bobby E. Shepherd, 
           of Arkansas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the 
           Eighth Circuit.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       Water and Power Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 1812, to amend the 
           Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act 
           of 1992 to provide for the conjunctive use of surface 
           and ground water in Juab County, Utah, S. 1965, to 
           authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
           certain buildings and lands of the Yakima Project, 
           Washington, to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District, 
           S. 2129, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
           convey certain land and improvements of the Gooding 
           Division of the Minidoka Project, Idaho, S. 2470, to 
           authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau 
           of Reclamation within the A&B Irrigation District in 
           the State of Idaho, S. 2502, to provide for the 
           modification of an amendatory repayment contract 
           between the Secretary of the Interior and the North 
           Unit Irrigation District, S. 3404, to reauthorize the 
           Mni Wiconi Rural Water Supply Project, H.R. 2383, to 
           redesignate the facility of the Bureau of Reclamation 
           located at 19550 Kelso Road in Byron, California, as 
           the ``C.W. `Bill' Jones Pumping Plant'', and H.R. 4204, 
           to direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer 
           ownership of the American River Pump Station Project.
                                                            SD-366

                                JUNE 29
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         Business meeting to consider pending calendar business.
                                                            SD-562


[[Page E1248]]


                                JULY 12
     10 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
         To hold hearings to examine USDA dairy programs.
                                                           SR-328A

                                JULY 13
     2:30 p.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine unmanned aerial systems in 
           Alaska.
                                                            SD-562

                                JULY 19
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Technology, Innovation, and Competitiveness Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine high performance computing.
                                                            SD-562

                             POSTPONEMENTS

                                JUNE 28
     9:30 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine antitrust concerns relating 
           to credit card interchange rates.
                                                            SD-226