Washington, Jul 27 -  

U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland’s statement on today’s signing of the Voting Rights Act renewal by President Bush:

"Today’s signing will keep Georgia in the penalty box for 25 more years, even though we’ve righted the wrongs of our state’s Jim Crow past. A baby born in Georgia today will be old enough to have voted in two presidential elections by the next time our state is up for a reprieve.

"The Voting Rights Act needed to be renewed – but not like this. I sought to modernize the Voting Rights Act so we could pinpoint the states and counties where there are problems today. Failing that, the Congress should have at least made it easier for counties with no record of voting rights problems or objections to ‘bail out’ from federal oversight.

"Let the word go out to every Georgian, to every state legislator, to every county commissioner and to every city council member: Begin the bailout process. It’s going to be much more difficult than it should be, but 25 years is far too long for us to have to wait. We are up to the challenge.

"Counties that haven’t had an objection from the Department of Justice for 10 years are eligible to bail out from coverage under the Voting Rights Act. We can’t do too much about the lingering prejudice toward Southern states in the U.S. Congress, but we can exercise our rights as Americans to fight for equal treatment. Coweta County, Ga., where I live, for example, hasn’t had an objection in 22 years. I want to encourage leaders in counties throughout my district to petition the Department of Justice to be removed from coverage.

"We are proud of our record on equality in modern Georgia. We aren’t asking for special treatment. We’re merely asking to be treated equally. I encourage all Georgians who think 66 years is too long for us to wear the scarlet letter to contact their county commissioners and state legislators and demand they fight for Georgia’s honor."

The Washington Times reported today that President Bush’s support of the VRA today stands in sharp contrast to his position when he was governor of Texas. Then, he opposed the "preclearance" provisions of the VRA, which also apply to Texas. "Less than a decade ago, Mr. Bush fought that exact part of the Voting Rights Act, with his appointed secretary of state, Antonio O. Garza Jr., calling the provisions a burdensome and unnecessary federal intrusion into Texas' affairs," the Times stated.