[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 10, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS--JANUARY 4, 2007

      By Mr. SALAZAR (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Reid, Mr. Menendez, 
        Mrs. Boxer, and Mrs. Feinstein):
  S. 188. A bill to revise the short title of the Fannie Lou Hamer, 
Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization 
and Amendments Act of 2006; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today I join Senator Salazar in introducing 
a bill to include Cesar E. Chavez among the names of the great civil 
rights leaders we honor in the title of last year's Voting Rights Act 
Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, ``VRARA''. I supported 
taking this action last year during the Senate Judiciary Committee's 
consideration of the VRARA when I offered an amendment on behalf of 
Senator Salazar to add the Hispanic civil rights leader to those for 
whom the law is named. As Senator Salazar reminded us, Cesar Chavez is 
an American hero who sacrificed his life to empower the most vulnerable 
in America. Like Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King, 
for whom the VRARA is named, he believed strongly in the right to vote 
as a cornerstone of American democracy. I offered the amendment in the 
Judiciary Committee and it was adopted without dissent.
  In order not to complicate final passage of the Voting Rights Act, 
the Senate proceeded to adopt the House-passed bill without amendment 
so that it could be signed into law without having to be reconsidered 
by the House. At that time, I committed to work with Senator Salazar to 
conform the law to include recognition of the contribution to our civil 
rights, voting rights and American society by Cesar Chavez.
  Cesar Chavez's name should be added to the law as important 
recognition of the broad landscape of political inclusion made possible 
by the Voting Rights Act. This bill would not alter the bill's vital 
remedies for continuing discrimination in voting, but is overdue 
recognition of the importance of the Voting Rights Act to Hispanic-
Americans. Prior to the VRA, Hispanics, like minorities of all races, 
faced major barriers to participation in the political process, through 
the use of such devices as poll taxes, exclusionary primaries, 
intimidation by voting officials, language barriers, and systematic 
vote dilution.
  I urge the Senate quickly to take up and pass this measure as we 
convene the new Congress and commit ourselves again to ensuring that 
the great promises of the 14th and 15th amendments are kept for all 
Americans and that the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments 
Act is fully implemented to protect the rights of all Americans.

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