Extensions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
"Its important to know that LBJ saw the law as chalk on a blackboard...Not something that was etched in cement. He saw something that needed to be done at the time, not something that would remain on the books forever."
- Mark D. Updegrove, LBJ Library Director, December 16, 2012, Austin American Statesman
- Mark D. Updegrove, LBJ Library Director, December 16, 2012, Austin American Statesman
Although President Johnson envisioned the Voting Rights Act as a temporary measure, it has been reaffirmed four times since 1965 by a bi-partisan majority in Congress.
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1970
" renews the temporary provisions ... for five years" - aclu.org  "it [VRA extension] does incorporate improvements ... suspending literacy tests nationwide and also putting an end to the present welter of State residency requirements for voting for President and Vice President"
- President Nixon (R), July 22, 1970. |
1975
"extends the temporary provisions of the act for 7 more years" - Ford (R)  "The bill ... broadens the provisions to bar discrimination against Spanish-speaking Americans, American Indians, Alaskan natives, and Asian Americans"
- President Gerald Ford, August 6, 1975 |
1982
"longest extension of the act [25 years] since its enactment" - Reagan (R)  "the 1982 reauthorization made Section 2 of the VRA permanent."
- avoiceonline.org |
2006
"extends the VRA For 25 Years" - Bush (R)  "And in honor of their [Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King] memory and their contributions to the cause of freedom, I am proud to sign the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006"
- President George W. Bush , July 27, 2006 |