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Voting Rights Act of 1965 (view source)
Revision as of 08:13, January 2, 2013
, 08:13, January 2, 2013→History: numbers don't add up in this section; Robert Byrd was never a Republican.
==History==
==History==
The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress over strong opposition within 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,
The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress over strong opposition within the [[Democratic Party]]. President [[Lyndon Johnson]] asked Republican Minority Leader [[Everett Dirksen]] for help <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> in breaking the 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!}}
Under Johnson, the Senate had not been able to muster enough votes to cut off a filibuster on a Civil Rights Bill. With Republican support, the final count showed 44 Democrats and 27 Republicans voting to end the filibuster, 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 Democrats and 120 Republicans opposed. The final Senate vote on August 4 was 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans in favor, one Republican and 17 Democrats opposed. 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 the Voting Rights Act.
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.