House OKs Renewing 1965 Voting Rights Act

Associated Press
By LAURIE KELLMAN , 07.14.2006, 04:34 AM

Passed by the House despite criticism that Southern states were being hounded over their racist past, the 1965 Voting Rights Act now faces similar objections from senators who oppose its federal oversight.

"While we won in the House, the Georgia and Texas senators are going to use the same arguments," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said after watching the House debate from the gallery on Thursday. "In the Senate their power looms larger."

Unlike House members, any senator can hold up passage of a bill by lodging an objection. It wasn't yet clear whether those who want changes to the landmark civil rights legislation would take that hardball approach. But those senators weren't shy about their opposition long before the House passed the bill 390-33 on Thursday.

"I'd like to see some changes," said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., noting that the law doesn't expire until next year.

Coburn and other senators have concerns that echo those voiced by conservatives in the House, mostly Southerners, that the renewal as written unfairly punishes states with racist pasts they say have been overcome.

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