FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 27, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi and Reid: Bush Must Do More than Sign the VRA, He Must Enforce It

Washington, D.C.—With the President today signing the much-needed and sadly-delayed reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today issued the following joint statement.

“Too often, political appointees in the Bush Justice Department have injected partisan bias into the Department's Voting Rights Act decisions, repeatedly overruling the non-partisan legal staff and hiring ideologues with no experience in civil rights for career vacancies.  They have repeatedly failed to enforce the provisions of the Voting Rights Act that the President signed with great fanfare today.  With that failure, the voting rights of the American people have been diminished.  As the attention from the ceremony dims and enforcement of the VRA moves forward, we call on the President to end the politicization of voting rights enforcement at his Justice Department.  The President must now ensure that his words are met in the deeds of his Administration so that the voting rights of all Americans are truly enhanced by today's action.”

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi