Maxine Waters: “Mr. Chairman and Members, I rise today to stand tall for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. Mr. Chairman and…”

“Mr. Chairman and Members, I rise today to stand tall for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. Mr. Chairman and Members, as an African American woman Member of Congress, I consider it my profound and welcome duty to use my voice and my vote to continue the struggle of the civil rights movement to guarantee the right to vote to African Americans and all Americans. Mr. Chairman, I have a difficult time explaining to African Americans all over this country why the Congress of the United States has to continue to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act. The answer to that question is sad but simple and true. Discrimination. America, we stand before you today reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act because we have to continue to have safeguards in law to prevent cities, counties, States and other jurisdictions from devising laws, practices, tricks and procedures that impede the right to vote by minorities in this country. One may ask, what laws and tricks are you alluding to? Mr. Chairman, in the past, the tricks were poll taxes, literacy tests and voter intimidation. Today, and throughout the years, the laws and tricks have changed but the game is the same: Deny and prevent minorities from exercising the power of selection of candidates and laws by any means necessary. What are some of these tactics being used today in some jurisdictions in America?…”