Voting Rights Act renewal voted delayed
As you may or may not know, Guilford and Rockingham counties are governed by provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. So its pending reauthorization, scheduled for this afternoon, was of interest enough for me to begin poking at a story for tomorrow's paper.
Well, call off the hounds for now. From the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republican leaders on Wednesday postponed a vote on renewing the 1965 Voting Rights Act after GOP lawmakers complained it unfairly singles out nine Southern states for federal oversight, according to their joint statement."We have time to address their concerns," Republican leaders said in a joint statement. "Therefore, the House Republican Leadership will offer members the time needed to evaluate the legislation."
It was unclear whether the legislation would come up this year. The temporary provisions don't expire until 2007, but leaders of both parties had hoped to pass the act and use it to further their prospects in the fall's midterm elections.
Congressman Mel Watt, a Democrat who represents a skinny little district that reaches from Charlotte to Greensboro and Winston-Salem, is a prime mover on the House re-authorization movement. I would imagine he's not pleased.