House Resolution 51 - Introduced

PAG LIN





  1  1                HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.    
  1  2                        BY  FORD
  1  3 A Resolution urging Congress to take action to renew
  1  4    certain portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  1  5    WHEREAS, 2005 marks the 40th anniversary of the
  1  6 Voting Rights Act of 1965, codified at 42 U.S.C. }
  1  7 1973, et seq., and the beginning of debate concerning
  1  8 the renewal of temporary provisions that expire in
  1  9 2007; and
  1 10    WHEREAS, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is widely
  1 11 viewed as the nation's most effective civil rights
  1 12 legislation, by removing barriers to voting for
  1 13 millions of Americans and enabling large numbers of
  1 14 minorities to register and vote and to have a
  1 15 meaningful voice concerning election of local, state,
  1 16 and federal officeholders; and
  1 17    WHEREAS, critical portions of the Act will expire
  1 18 in 2007; and
  1 19    WHEREAS, 42 U.S.C. } 1973c of the Act requires
  1 20 certain covered states and political subdivisions to
  1 21 obtain federal or judicial preapproval or
  1 22 "preclearance" of any voting law changes or practices
  1 23 before those changes and practices can legally take
  1 24 effect; and
  1 25    WHEREAS, 42 U.S.C. }} 1973a, 1973d, 1973e, 1973f,
  1 26 and 1973k, contain the federal examiner and observer
  1 27 provisions, which allow federal employees to observe
  1 28 polling place and vote=counting activities and serve
  1 29 to document and deter inappropriate conduct; and
  1 30    WHEREAS, 42 U.S.C. }} 1973aa and 1973b require
  2  1 bilingual voting assistance for language minority
  2  2 communities in certain jurisdictions; and
  2  3    WHEREAS, the foundation of our democratic form of
  2  4 government is the right to vote and voting is the most
  2  5 important tool Americans have to influence the
  2  6 policies the government adopts that affect every
  2  7 aspect of our lives; and
  2  8    WHEREAS, even in the 21st century, there continue
  2  9 to be incidents which demonstrate the need for the
  2 10 reauthorization of these provisions and continued
  2 11 enforcement of the Act itself; NOW THEREFORE,
  2 12    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
  2 13 That the Iowa House of Representatives urges the
  2 14 United States Congress to take action to preserve and
  2 15 strengthen democracy in America by reauthorizing the
  2 16 provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
  2 17    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That it is the intent of
  2 18 the Iowa House of Representatives that a copy of this
  2 19 Resolution be transmitted to the members of Iowa's
  2 20 congressional delegation.
  2 21 LSB 3644HH 81
  2 22 jr:nh/gg/14