Changes

==Politics==

==Politics==

The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress over strong opposition from the the southern wing of the [[Democratic Party]]; Democratic President [[Lyndon Johnson]] turned to Minority Leader [[Everett Dirksen]] for [[Republican]] support <ref>[http://www.congresslink.org/print_basics_histmats_civilrights64_cloturespeech.htm Everett McKinley Dirksen's Finest Hour: June 10, 1964], ''The Peoria Journal Star'', June 10, 2004, retrieved from The Dirksen Congressional center 05/20/07.</ref> to break the Southern Democratic [[filibuster]]. Dirksen spoke on the Senate floor,

The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress over strong opposition from the the southern wing of the [[Democratic Party]]; President [[Lyndon Johnson]] turned to Minority Leader [[Everett Dirksen]] for [[Republican]] support <ref>[http://www.congresslink.org/print_basics_histmats_civilrights64_cloturespeech.htm Everett McKinley Dirksen's Finest Hour: June 10, 1964], ''The Peoria Journal Star'', June 10, 2004, retrieved from The Dirksen Congressional center 05/20/07.</ref> to break the Southern Democratic [[filibuster]]. Dirksen spoke on the Senate floor,

{{Cquote|The time has come for equality of opportunity in sharing of government, in education, and in employment. It must not be stayed or denied. It is here!}}

{{Cquote|The time has come for equality of opportunity in sharing of government, in education, and in employment. It must not be stayed or denied. It is here!}}

The Senate never had been able to muster enough votes to cut off a filibuster on a Civil Rights Bill. The final count showed 44 Democrats and 27 Republicans voting to close off debate, with 23 Democrats and only 6 Republicans opposed. The formal Senate vote on the bill took place on June 19, 1964. It passed overwhelmingly, 73-27.  

The Senate never had been able to muster enough votes to cut off a filibuster on a Civil Rights Bill. The final count showed 44 Democrats and 27 Republicans voting to end the fillibuster, with 23 Democrats and only 6 Republicans opposed. The formal Senate vote on the bill took place on June 19, 1964. It passed overwhelmingly, 73-27.  

In the final house passage of the bill on August 3, 1965, the breakdown was 217 Democrats and 111 Republicans voting in favor versus 54 Southern Democrats and 120 Republicans voting against. The final Senate vote on August 4 was 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans in favor, one Republican and 17 Democrats opposed, Robert Byrd of West Virginia and 16 Southern Democrats. Southern Democrats who voted in favor of the bill on August 4 were Senators Albert A. Gore (who had originally voted against the Voting Rights Act in 1964) and Ross Bass from Tennessee, Mike Monroney and Fred R. Harris from Oklahoma and Ralph W. Yarborough from Texas. <ref>[http://www.2facts.com/Ancillaries/index/h00619.asp</ref>

In the final house passage of the bill on August 3, 1965, the breakdown was 217 Democrats and 111 Republicans voting in favor versus 54 Democrats and 120 Republicans voting against. The final Senate vote on August 4 was 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans in favor, one Republican and 17 Democrats opposed, [[Robert Byrd]] of West Virginia and 16 Democrats. Southern Democrats who voted in favor of the bill on August 4 were Senators Albert A. Gore (who had originally voted against the Voting Rights Act in 1964) and Ross Bass from Tennessee, Mike Monroney and Fred R. Harris from Oklahoma and Ralph W. Yarborough from Texas. <ref>[http://www.2facts.com/Ancillaries/index/h00619.asp</ref>

Sen. [[J. William Fulbright]] <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,871879,00.html?iid=chix-sphere Picking the Team], ''TIME Magazine'', December 12, 1960.</ref> who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by [[President Clinton]], and Sen. [[Al Gore, Sr.]], father of  [[Vice President Al Gore]] voted against it.  

Sen. [[J. William Fulbright]] <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,871879,00.html?iid=chix-sphere Picking the Team], ''TIME Magazine'', December 12, 1960.</ref> who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by [[President Clinton]], and Sen. [[Al Gore, Sr.]], father of  [[Vice President Al Gore]] voted against the Voting Rights Act.  

Majority Leader Mike Mansfield said of the Republican leader, "The whole country is in debt to the Senator from Illinois."  

Majority Leader Mike Mansfield said of the Republican leader, "The whole country is in debt to the Senator from Illinois."  

The Act gives the Department of Justice the power to approve or reject any change in a voting law in certain districts where less than 50% of the population were registered to vote in 1964. In December 1989 a three-judge district federal court held Bill Clinton's state-wide legislative reapportionment plan violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 1973.  1990 the [[Supreme Court]] of the United States found in the case of ''[[Clinton vs Jeffers]]'' <ref>Findings of the Supreme Court of the United States in [http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/1990/sg900402.txt Clinton vs Jeffers] No. 90-394 (1990) on appeal 730 F. Supp. 196, 198-201 (ED Ark. 1989) (three-judge court), aff'd, No. 89-2008 (Jan. 7, 1991).</ref> the former Arkansas Governeror and [[Democratic]] president had violated the Voting Rights Act. The Justices findings were,

The Act gives the Department of Justice the power to approve or reject any change in a voting law in certain districts where less than 50% of the population were registered to vote in 1964.  

 

 

In December 1989 a three-judge district federal court held Bill Clinton's state-wide legislative reapportionment plan violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 1973.  1990 the [[Supreme Court]] of the United States found in the case of ''[[Clinton vs Jeffers]]'' <ref>Findings of the Supreme Court of the United States in [http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/1990/sg900402.txt Clinton vs Jeffers] No. 90-394 (1990) on appeal 730 F. Supp. 196, 198-201 (ED Ark. 1989) (three-judge court), aff'd, No. 89-2008 (Jan. 7, 1991).</ref> the former Arkansas Governeror and [[Democratic]] president had violated the Voting Rights Act. The Justices findings were,

{{Cquote|[[Bill Clinton]] does not dispute here -- that "violations of the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment justifying [[equitable relief]] have occurred in Arkansas."

{{Cquote|[[Bill Clinton]] does not dispute here -- that "violations of the fourteenth or fifteenth amendment justifying [[equitable relief]] have occurred in Arkansas."

The court therefore concluded that

The court therefore concluded that

{{Cquote|This series of laws represents a systematic and deliberate attempt to reduce black political opportunity. Such an attempt is plainly unconstitutional. It replaces a system in which blacks could and did succeed, with one in which they almost certainly cannot. The inference of racial motivation is inescapable.}}

{{Cquote|This series of laws represents a systematic and deliberate attempt to reduce black political opportunity. Such an attempt is plainly unconstitutional. It replaces a system in which blacks could and did succeed, with one in which they almost certainly cannot. The inference of racial motivation is inescapable.}}

==Renewal==

==Renewal==