A House Republican who led the last push to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act exhorted lawmakers Wednesday to join him in bringing the law back to life.
The day after the Supreme Court quashed the anti-discrimination statute, Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) urged lawmakers to cast aside their differences and restore the rejected provisions for the sake of voter protection.
“The Voting Rights Act is vital to America’s commitment to never again permit racial prejudices in the electoral process,” Sensenbrenner, the second-ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said Wednesday in a statement.
“This is going to take time, and will require members from both sides of the aisle to put partisan politics aside and ensure Americans’ most sacred right is protected.”
Republican Reps. Steve Chabot (Ohio) and Sean Duffy (Wis.) also expressed support Wednesday for congressional action in response to the high court’s ruling.
Source: The Hill
To borrow a likely-overused phrase: I'm cautiously optimistic. A few Republicans seem willing to do the right thing and fix the Voting Rights Act rather than simply sitting on their hands for the sake of their electoral chances.
At the same time, I do not want hope to turn into naivete. I don't exactly trust the GOP as far as I can smell it. The above Republicans may say one thing and end up doing another. Even if they do follow through on their word to reauthorize the Act, their caucus may put up a show of resistance and obstruction to keep things as they are.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Maybe this isn't the death knell for the Voting Rights Act.
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