Melvin Watt: “the artificial time frames and deadlines specified in H.R. 2844 could make it impossible to comply with many State and…”

“the artificial time frames and deadlines specified in H.R. 2844 could make it impossible to comply with many State and Federal laws. Consequently, it has the potential to cause serious violations of voting rights and civil rights. To correct that problem, I rise to offer this motion to recommit with instructions. The motion to recommit seeks to limit the damage posed by H.R. 2844 by ensuring that nothing in the bill will undercut the requirements of the civil rights and voting rights laws that this Congress enacted and this country has painstakingly honored over the last 40 years. I cannot support a measure that does not protect the voting rights of every American, including racial and language minorities, people with disabilities, the elderly, and our young men and women serving in the military. H.R. 2844 jeopardizes those protections now afforded to racial and language minorities under section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by making it impossible to provide voting materials to States or political subdivisions with more than 5 percent of the citizens of voting age who are single-language minorities and are limited-English proficient within the time frame prescribed by this legislation. Are these citizens not entitled to participate?”