Speech #910329647

And finally. I disagree with the Courts conclusion that Congress could constitutionally reduce the voting age to 18 for federal elections. since I am convinced that Congress was wholly without constitutional power to alterfor the purpose of any electionsthe voting age qualifications now determined by the several States. Before turning to a discussion of my views. it seems appropriate to state that we are not called upon in these cases to evaluate or appraise the wisdom of abolishing literacy tests. of altering state residency requirements. or of reducing the voting age to 18. Whatever we may think as citizens. our single duty as judges is to determine whether the legislation before us was within the constitutional power of Congress to enact. I find it necessary to state so elementary a proposition only because certain of the separate opinions filed today contain many pages devoted to a demonstration of how beneficent are the goals of this legislation. particularly the extension of the electoral franchise to young men and women of 18.