Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

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Voting Rights Act Renewal Scores an Overwhelming Victory in the House!

Senate must act quickly if the Voting Rights Act is to be renewed by August

July 14, 2006 – By an overwhelming margin (390-33), the House voted yesterday to pass H.R. 9, The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. [Click here to see how your representative voted.] Importantly, the House defeated all four of the amendments to the bill that would have greatly weakened the Voting Rights Act's (VRA's) protections, and passed H.R. 9 without amendment.

We are one step closer to renewing and restoring the VRA – but we are not there yet! If the VRA bill is to reach the president's desk for his signature by August, then the Senate must act quickly to pass its bipartisan VRA bill (S. 2703) without amendment.

Around the country, leaders like you have made phone calls, sent emails, signed petitions and pledges, and met with your representatives – ensuring our victory in the House and overcoming the small band of extremists who tried to derail the VRA. Now we must do the same in the Senate!

The Senate Judiciary Committee will continue its "mark up" (or consideration) of S. 2703 next week. It is critical that senators hear from you NOW! Call your senator at 202-224-3121. Tell your senator that S. 2703 must be moved quickly and without amendment through the Judiciary Committee and through the full Senate before the August recess. While it's important that all senators hear from their constituents about this, it is particularly helpful to generate calls to the following members of the Judiciary Committee who have co-sponsored S. 2703 and may be instrumental in moving the bill forward without amendment: Specter (PA), Brownback (KS), DeWine (OH), and Grassley (IA).

If you haven’t yet signed the Pledge to Protect Voting Rights, http://civilrightscoalition.org/ct/673x1P41VPHQ/pledge">click here to add your name and indicate your support for renewing and restoring the Voting Rights Act.