Chris Dodd: “I worked closely with Mitch McConnell and Kit Bond of Missouri and Congressman Bob Ney of Ohio, who chairs the House…”

“I worked closely with Mitch McConnell and Kit Bond of Missouri and Congressman Bob Ney of Ohio, who chairs the House committee and has jurisdiction over Federal elections over in the other Chamber... It is in the view of many the first civil rights legislation of the 21st century. Some have called it the most significant legislation affecting the right to vote since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Certainly, one of the issues we looked at and discussed rather briefly was the issue of the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act when it comes to language minorities. But when we were dealing with that bill, we did not vote to make permanent those provisions. And for good reason. This is a very important part of the Voting Rights Act, these language minority and preclearance provisions. It is hardly the place, I suggest, with all due respect to those who are interested in this, as a floor amendment to any bill here.”