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Los Angeles, CA—Today the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund released the following statement regarding the U.S. House of Representatives’ renewal of key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

“Today, the U.S. House of Representatives took a critical step to protect the voting rights of Latinos and all our citizens by approving H.R. 9, which renews key provisions
of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The House vote of 390-33 is a testament to the overwhelming, bi-partisan support for the Voting Rights Act renewal, which will help ensure that all voters have an equal and meaningful voice in our nation’s democracy.

The Voting Rights Act is one of our most powerful pieces of civil rights legislation, and the passage of H.R. 9 is essential for continued Latino political progress. The Voting Rights Act has served as an indispensable tool to combat discrimination in the electoral process, and renewal of its key provisions is necessary to eliminate the barriers that still stand in the way of full and fair political participation. 

When Congress first enacted the Voting Rights Act, it recognized that the right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights our nation bestows upon our citizens. We commend the group of bi-partisan leaders who have built upon this legacy through their collaborative efforts on behalf of H.R. 9, including House Judiciary Chair James Sensenbrenner (R-WI); Ranking House Judiciary Member John Conyers (D-MI); Constitution Subcommittee Chair Steve Chabot (R-OH); Judiciary Committee Member Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Congressional Black Caucus Chair Melvin Watt (D-NC); and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Mike Honda (D-CA). 

The VRA renewal legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate, and we urge all members
of that chamber and the President to take swift action to secure its enactment. It is particularly important that Senators reject any efforts to weaken the bill with unfair
and unnecessary amendments. The House defeated four amendments that would have turned the clock back on the progress Latinos and other minorities have made. We call on the Senate to move the legislation forward, with all of its provisions intact.

The VRA has helped Latinos on their journey to achieve fair representation in public office and full participation in the American political process. In the last two decades, the number of Latino elected officials has grown from 3,128 in 1984, to 5,132 in January, 2006. The renewal of the VRA will now shape the future of our democracy,
by making it stronger, more vital and responsive to all of our citizen’s voices.”