Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006

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

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 9, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006.

Passage of the Voting Rights Act has allowed millions of minorities the constitutional right to vote in Federal elections. One of the people for whom this bill is named is Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was born, lived, and died in the trenches of Mississippi's Second Congressional District.

Her history and involvement in voting education and voter participation include people like me, who stand before you as the highest-ranking African American elected official in the State of Mississippi, an opportunity that would not have been possible without the passage of the act.

Had this act been in place, my father, who died in 1963, would have been a registered voter. Had this act been in place, my mother, a college graduate, would not have had to take three literacy tests to become a registered voter. As influential policymakers, it is our obligation to look beyond what is good and support the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 9, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006.

Passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act has allowed millions of minorities the constitutional right to vote in Federal elections. In 1964, only 300 African Americans in the United States were elected to public office, this included just three in Congress. One of the people for whom this bill is named is Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was born, lived, and died in the trenches of Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Her history and involvement in voter education and voter participation include people like me who stand before you as the highest-ranking African American elected official in the State of Mississippi, an opportunity that would not have been possible without the passage of this act.

Moreover, with the expiration of major provisions, section 5, section 203 and sections 6 through 9, of the Voting Rights Act rapidly approaching, Congress must reauthorize these provisions now to protect those who may face discrimination in their efforts to exercise their right to vote.

In 2001, one of the most shameful and shocking reminders of discrimination occurred in Kilmichael, Mississippi. An all-White city council canceled city election 3 weeks before they were to be held after several African Americans appeared to be in a strong position to win seats. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires covered jurisdictions to obtain approval, or ``preclearance,'' from the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court in D.C. before they can change voting practices or procedures, protected the voting rights of the people of Kilmichael. When elections were held, three African Americans were elected to the Board of Aldermen and the town elected its first African-American mayor.

As our Nation embraces the notion that the right to vote is essential in preserving the health of our democracy, section 203, which requires certain jurisdiction to provide bilingual language assistance to voters in communities where there is a high concentration of citizens who are limited English proficient and illiterate, is a critical element to the Voting Rights Act. As leaders committed to diversity, it is imperative that all minority language Americans are guaranteed the right to vote and have a voice in a political process that affects every aspect of education, healthcare, and economic development in this country.

Ongoing efforts must be made to guarantee fair access to the political process, and Sections 6 through 9 authorizes the Federal Government to send Federal election examiners and observers to certain jurisdictions covered by section 5 where there is evidence of attempts to intimidate minority voters at the polls. These statutes must remain in place to prevent the discriminatory election practices that still exist today.

As influential policymakers, it is our obligation to look beyond what is good for any one of us to what is good for the whole country and its future. It is vital that we act now to renew section 5, section 203 and sections 6 through 9 of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 an additional 25 years.

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