[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 93 (Monday, July 17, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FANNIE LOU HAMER, ROSA PARKS, AND CORETTA SCOTT KING VOTING RIGHTS ACT 
               REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 13, 2006

  The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
had under consideration the bill (H.R. 9) to amend the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition 
to the Norwood Amendment to H.R. 9, the ``Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, 
and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments 
Act of 2006.'' The Westmoreland Amendment requires the Attorney General 
to annually determine whether each State and political subdivision 
subject to the preclearance requirements of section 5 meets the 
requirements for bailout. The amendment further requires the Attorney 
General to then inform the public and each state and political 
subdivision that they are eligible to bail out. Last, the amendment 
would direct the Attorney General to consent to the bailout in federal 
court.
  Mr. Chairman, this amendment should be soundly defeated. I agree with 
Mr. Sensenbrenner that of all the weakening amendments offered, this 
one is the worst by far.
  The Westmoreland Amendment turns Section 5 on its head because 
instead of enforcing the Voting Rights Act and stopping voting 
discrimination, the Department of Justice will be forced to spend 
nearly all of its time conducting investigations to determine where 
discrimination no longer exists. In the meantime, voting discrimination 
and constitutional violations will not be addressed.
  Further, Mr. Chairman, this amendment would cripple the Voting 
Section of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, making 
enforcement of the Act nearly impossible. There are nearly 900 
jurisdictions covered nationwide by Section 5. Under the proposed 
amendment, determinations of whether a jurisdiction has a clean bill of 
health will require the Attorney General to dedicate considerable 
resources to making these determinations, and little else. This 
amendment has the effect of requiring coverage determinations be made 
by the Attorney General each year.
  The Westmoreland Amendment removes the longstanding requirement that 
covered jurisdictions bear the burden of establishing that they are 
free from discrimination and places that burden on the Attorney 
General. Jurisdictions are uniquely positioned with the evidence 
showing whether or not voting discrimination is still present.
  Finally, Mr. Chairman, the current bailout provision in Section 4(a) 
of the Act provides a reasonable and cost-effective opportunity for 
qualifying jurisdictions to bailout any time after they meet the 
criteria, as eleven local jurisdictions in Virginia have already done 
successfully. The cost for bailout actions has averaged only $5,000.
  I urge my colleagues to reject the amendment.

                          ____________________