FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1995                               (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                 
     STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
 DEVAL L. PATRICK ON TODAY'S APPELLATE COURT RULING UPHOLDING THE
            CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE "MOTOR-VOTER" LAW

     WASHINGTON, D.C. --  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th
Circuit today upheld the constitutionality of the National Voter
Registration Act, or the "motor-voter" law.  Today's action
affirms a decision earlier this year by the U.S. District Court
in Chicago. 
     Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick
issued the following statement:
     "We are extremely pleased with today's favorable decision -
the first by an appellate court - upholding the constitutionality
of the National Voter Registration Act.  We are pleased that the
citizens of Illinois will join millions around the nation who are
benefitting from this law.

     Today's favorable decision by the Court of Appeals follows
similar victories in federal district courts in California and
Pennsylvania.  The decision sends a clear message that Congress
was well within its authority to pass a law making it easier for
all Americans to register to vote.  Today's decision also
reaffirms the lower court's opinion that the state had no legal
basis for failing to comply with such a common sense law.

     Motor-voter is government made easy -- one stop shopping. 
Already the law is producing tremendous results across the
country.  Millions of Americans already are benefiting from this
law -- now millions of citizens of Illinois can, as well. 

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