Charles Norwood: “when the original Voting Rights Act passed this House, it was to correct voting discrimination evident in the 1964…”

“when the original Voting Rights Act passed this House, it was to correct voting discrimination evident in the 1964 Presidential election. The legal protections and enforcement scheme in the new law were all designed around that challenge. The specific challenges of 1964 have long ago been rectified, yet the specific enforcement scheme contained in sections 4 and 5 remain based on 1964, 1968, and 1972 Presidential elections. Here are the current rules on the VRA: To fall under section 5 Federal oversight, a voting jurisdiction has to have committed both of the following offenses: One, they must have maintained discriminatory tests or devices to discourage voting in 1964, 1968, and 1972 Presidential elections. Two, they had to have fallen below 50 percent voter registration or turnout in 1964, 1968, and 1972 Presidential elections. Note that an area must have committed both offenses back then to fall under section 5. We have a rare opportunity today to update the Voting Rights Act and bring it back into compliance with the original intent of the bill to safeguard voting rights all across the country, not just in the current 16 States. Instead of continuing to face legal protections on 1964 conditions, this amendment will update them to modern results and toughen the standard, and, indeed, add more jurisdictions under the Voting Rights Act.…”