05 LC 28
2392
House
Resolution 445
By:
Representatives Mangham of the
94th,
Bruce of the
64th,
Porter of the
143rd,
Orrock of the
58th,
Brooks of the
63rd,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
President Bush and the Congress of the United States to extend the provisions of
Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, for an
additional 25 years and to expand the scope of Section 5 to apply to the entire
United States; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the United States Congress enacted the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 in
response to the numerous obstacles and barriers that had been erected by many
states and local governments to prevent the free exercise of the right to vote
and to participate on an equal basis in the electoral process by members of
racial minorities; and
WHEREAS,
one of the main features of the Act was the preclearance requirement of Section
5 which provided that certain states and local governments could not implement
or enforce changes with respect to voting without first obtaining preclearance
of such change through the Attorney General of the United States or through the
District Court for the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS,
the preclearance provisions of Section 5 have prevented states and local
governments from playing shell games with their laws and regulations concerning
voting and have ensured that the voting rights of minority citizens have been
protected; and
WHEREAS,
the provisions of Section 5 were initially to be in effect for a period of 15
years, but, due to the persistent need for the provisions to protect minority
voting interests, Congress extended the provisions for five years in 1970, seven
years in 1975, and 25 years in 1982; and
WHEREAS,
while substantial progress has been made in this country in the area of
protecting minority voting rights, there still exists a need for the
preclearance provisions of Section 5 to ensure that the progress that has been
made is not diluted or lost; and
WHEREAS,
the provisions of Section 5 will expire in 2007 unless they are extended by
Congress; and
WHEREAS,
the provisions of Section 5 presently apply only to a limited number of states
and local governments in this country, but problems in enforcing minority voting
rights exist in areas that are not presently covered as well as areas that are
covered and such problems could be alleviated by applying Section 5
nationwide.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body urge President Bush and the Congress of the United States to extend
the provisions of Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as
amended, for an additional 25 years and to expand the scope of Section 5 to
apply to the entire United States.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to President
George W. Bush and each member of the Georgia congressional delegation.