The House will hold hearings on the Voting Rights Act in July, following the Supreme Court’s decision last week striking down a central part of the landmark law, House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte told CNN Sunday. The Virginia Republican said he doesn’t know whether Congress will work to change the law so that it’s considered constitutional by the justices. “We will look at what the Supreme Court was talking about in terms of old data,” Goodlatte said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We’ll look at what new data is available and we will make sure that people’s freedom to vote in elections in this country is protected.”
Pressed by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley on whether he predicts any specific activity on the issue from his committee, he said: “We don’t know yet.”
Deplorable voting conditions spurred Congress five decades ago to require certain parts of the United States to “preclear” changes to voting laws, even minor changes such as moving a polling booth across the street.
Many in those states object to such federal oversight, but defenders of the rule say it keeps those areas accountable and helps prevent repeats of past discrimination, especially against minorities.
Full Article: Goodlatte unsure if Congress will take up Voting Rights Act – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs.