Speech #940064544

I would like you to know that one of my first legislative actions in the 94th Congress was to cosponsor H.R. 4002. a bill from which H.R. 6219 grew and upon which it improved. This proposal was designed to extend certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for 10 years and to create a permanent ban against certain prerequisites to voting. Too often. these literacy tests and devices have been used as a discriminatory weapon against certain minorities. A vote against extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would create a situation conducive to the regeneration of these abuses. It is essential to the livelihood of our democratic process that every citizen be afforded the opportunity to vote. This is a fundamental part of our civil rights. Too often. literacy tests have had discriminatory effects as State and county educational possibilities were inferior for members of minorities. A nationwide. permanent ban on these tests would protect the voting rights of citizens where this imposition on minorities would result in great inequities in our electoral process. The permanency of the ban must be stressed as provisions for tests or devices remain on the books of 14 States in our country. Therefore. the extension of the Voting Rights Amendments of 1965 must be ongoing so that these States will not be permitted to enforce literacy tests as prerequisites to registration and voting. The positive effects of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 are evident and speak for themselves. The progress of minority political representation has become increasingly obvious.