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This week, Congress voted to reauthorize the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965. One of the most significant pieces of legislation enacted during the 20th century, the Voting Rights Act helped guarantee one of our most fundamental rights-the right of every citizen to participate in the political process.
The right to choose one's representatives in the voting booth is the basis of a free, democratic society. Without a meaningful vote, there can be no equality before the law, no equal access, and no equal opportunity. Yet, for a hundred years after the Civil War, millions of African-Americans were denied this fundamental right, despite the 15th Amendment to the Constitution that prohibited the denial of the right to vote on the basis of race or color. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and even physical violence were used to deny African-Americans their legal right to vote.
Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act provides extensive protection to minority communities by ensuring that the right to vote is fully protected. The success of the Voting Rights Act has led to significant political achievement and greater minority representation at all levels of government. The reauthorization of this landmark bill demonstrates our continued determination to remove all voting obstacles and safeguard the rights of all Americans.
Since 1965, the Voting Rights Act has been extended five times, first in 1970, then in 1975, 1982, 1992, and now 2006. Changes have included the requirement of bilingual ballots and voting assistance, thereby increasing the act's scope to cover non-English speaking minorities. In 1982, the Voting Rights Act was amended to protect the rights of voters with disabilities. The most recent extension this year reauthorized for 25 years key provisions of the Voting Rights Act that were set to expire in 2007. These provisions prevent discriminatory voting practices and require bilingual ballots for those with limited English proficiency. Our nation's history is one of expanding rights, and it is imperative that we adjust our laws to reflect that.
The Voting Rights Act was one of the nation's most crucial civil rights victories and memorializes those who marched, struggled, and died to secure the right to vote for all Americans. While substantial progress has been made in the area of voting rights over the last 40 years, we must continue to create a more just, fair, and equal society. This week's vote shows our commitment to this goal. I am proud that Congress agreed to reauthorize important provisions of the Voting Rights Act so that this act can continue to protect the most fundamental expression of equality in our democracy: the right to vote.
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