Expressing the sense of the Congress that, as Congress observes the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and encourages all Americans to do the same, it will advance the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by ensuring the continued effectiveness of the Act to protect the voting rights of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, not so long ago, 40 years ago, in many parts of the American South, it was almost impossible for people of color to register to vote. Just 40 years ago, people of color had to pay a poll tax and pass a so-called literacy test in some States in the South. There were black men and women who were professors in colleges and universities, black lawyers and black doctors who were told that they could not read or write well enough to register to vote. People were turned away from the courthouse when they attempted to register. Some were jailed.

Forty years ago, on March 7, 1965, about 600 black men and women, and a few young children attempted to peacefully march from Selma, Al, to Montgomery, to the State Capital, to dramatize to the world that people of color wanted to register to vote. And the world watched as we were met with night sticks, bull whips; we were trampled by horses and tear gassed.

Eight days after what became known as Bloody Sunday, President Johnson came to this very Chamber and spoke to a joint session of Congress. He started off that speech on March 15, 1965 by saying: ``I speak tonight for the dignity of man and for the destiny of democracy.'' President Johnson went on to say: ``At times, history and fate come together to shape a turning point in a man's unending search for freedom. So it was more than a century ago at Lexington and at Concord. So it was at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.''

And during that speech, 40 years ago, President Johnson condemned the violence in Selma, and called on Congress to enact the Voting Rights Act. Echoing the words of the civil rights movement, he closed his speech by saying ``And we shall overcome.''

Forty years ago, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, and on August 6, 1965, it was signed into law.

Because of the action of Congress and the leadership of a President and the courage of hundreds and thousands of our citizens, we have witnessed a nonviolent revolution in America, a resolution of values, a revolution of ideas. The passage of the Voting Rights Act helped expand our democracy and open up our democracy to let in millions of our citizens.

We still need to keep the voting rights act strong. The Voting Rights Act must be reauthorized. Not just reauthorized, it must be renewed and strengthened. The vote is the most powerful, nonviolent tool that our citizens have in a democratic society, and nothing, but nothing, should interfere with the right of every citizen to vote and have their vote count.

Mr. Speaker, the history of the right to vote in America is a history of conflict, of struggling for the right to vote. Many people died trying to protect that right.

For millions like me, the struggle for the right to vote is not mere history; it is experience. The experience of minorities today tells us that the struggle is not over and that the special provisions of the Voting Rights Act are still necessary.

I am proud to be the sponsor of H. Con. Res. 216, a resolution commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which I introduced with my colleagues from the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Chabot and Mr. Nadler. In that resolution, we pledge to ``advance the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by ensuring the continued effectiveness of the Act to protect the voting rights of all Americans.''

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect the voting rights of all Americans.

Today we celebrate how far we have come. We celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H. Con. Res. 216, which seeks to advance the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Ninety-five years after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, African Americans in the South still faced tremendous obstacles to voting, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and other bureaucratic restrictions designed to disenfranchise them. In addition, they risked harassment, intimidation, economic reprisals, and physical violence when they tried to register or vote. As a result, few African Americans were registered voters, and consequently wielded little, if any, local or national political power.

In the aftermath of ``Bloody Sunday'', where the rights of nonviolent civil rights marchers were brutally abridged, our nation recognized that democracy was not yet fulfilled for African-Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnson was then prompted to encourage Congress to draft a comprehensive voting rights bill. The outcome was the Voting Rights Bill of 1965, enacted on August 6, 1965. It took direct aim at black disenfranchisement in the South by targeting areas, such as Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, where fewer than 50 percent of eligible voters participated in the election. In these areas, the Federal Government was then authorized to appoint examiners to conduct the registration process, in the place of local officials. It has been argued, by the Department of Justice, that the influx of ``federal registrars represented the ultimate triumph of national policy toward minorities over state and local policies.'' Mr. Speaker, I contend that it was the long overdue enforcement of the rights provided in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

It is clear that the effects of the voting rights law were immediate and extensive. By 1967 black voter registration in six southern states had increased from 30 percent to more than 50 percent. There was also a correspondingly sharp increase in the number of blacks elected to political office in the South. Furthermore, in 1976, when Democrat Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States by a narrow margin, the ``newly-enfranchised southern blacks'' were deemed to be largely responsible.

Although this legislation is of particular significance to African Americans, it is truly a landmark law, which secures the franchise for all Americans regardless of ``race, color, or previous condition of servitude.'' As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the Voting Right Act, it is important that we remember to uphold and strengthen the tenets of this Act and in doing so preserve our constitutional rights.

We should never forget the sacrifices made by the activists of the Civil Rights Movement, and therefore strive to continually advance their legacy in this era.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great disappointment that I submitted a statement for the Record yesterday, instead of going to the floor, as originally scheduled, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. The Republican Leadership has decided that the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act is less important than leaving a day early for the Congressional August Recess.

I introduced House Concurrent Resolution 216 with my bipartisan colleagues from the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Chabot and Mr. Nadler. On Wednesday, I had planned to join my colleagues in debating the resolution on the floor, but at the last moment, the Republican Leadership decided to pull the solution from consideration in order to consider CAFTA. Thursday morning, the resolution was listed for consideration, but by late morning, it was brought to my attention that the Republican Leadership had decided to reduce debate on this resolution to a mere 5 minutes, down from the customary 40 minutes allotted to consideration of resolutions under suspension of the rules. Furthermore, they planned to package the suspensions together under condensed time and they were also adding to that package an additional controversial suspension bill without allowing any debate. This important resolution was being treated as insignificant. The Minority Leader opposed giving this important resolution such short shrift, and in response, the Republican leadership pulled the legislation from consideration all together.

Today was the last opportunity for us to celebrate this important Act before the anniversary on August 6. This has become an unacceptable pattern for the Republican Leadership. The Republican majority promised after the 1994 elections to manage the House in a way that fostered ``deliberative democracy,'' which they defined as the ``full and free airing of conflicting opinions through hearings, debates, and amendments.'' They also pledged in their Contract with America to ``restore accountability to Congress.'' Instead of sticking to their word, they have broken their promises, and flaunted and abused their power. They have abandoned the principle of procedural fairness or democratic accountability.

There is no reason that we could not debate this resolution this week, particularly when the Republicans will conclude business early in the day today. I am disappointed in my Republican colleagues for again derailing debate, particularly when it comes to issues related to voting and the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 216, a resolution commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law on August 6, 1965.

Forty years ago, in many parts of the American South, it was almost impossible for people of color to register to vote. African Americans had to pay a poll tax and pass a socalled literacy test in some States in the South. There were black men and women who were professors in colleges and universities, black lawyers and black doctors who were told that they could not read or write well enough to register to vote. People were turned away from the courthouse when they attempted to register. Some were jailed.

The turning point came 40 years ago, on March 7, 1965, when about 600 men and women, and a few young children attempted to peacefully march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the State Capitol, to dramatize to the world that people of color wanted to register to vote. And the world watched as they were met with night sticks, bull whips; they were trampled by horses, and tear gassed. One of the historic marchers is now a member of Congress, our colleague Representative John Lewis.

In the wake of what is now known as Bloody Sunday, under the leadership of President Johnson, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, and on August 6, 1965, it was signed into law. This was a nonviolent revolution in America, a revolution of values, a revolution of ideas. The passage of the Voting Rights Act helped expand our democracy to let in millions of our citizens. We are a better country because of it.

Before we move toward reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, we must take notice of how far we have come and where we now stand, so that we can move together to ensure the continued effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act. Today many, including elderly adults, persons with disabilities, and people of color, continue to fight for the right to have their vote count while our nation's election system has yet to catch up and meet the needs of all of America's voters.

Today, we remember the people who fought to expand democracy 40 years ago. But we must do more than just remember; we must use their example to continue the struggle today until the dreams of those who fought for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 become a reality for all Americans.