Bal Harbour, FL
This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of the country's most successful civil rights laws, the Voting Rights Act. This landmark legislation, and the success of subsequent efforts to strengthen it, have played a critical role in curtailing the discriminatory practices that once prevented millions of Americans from exercising their right to vote because of their color or ethnic background.
But this commemoration should also serve as a reminder that the struggle for voting rights continues and that the full participation of all citizens in the country's political process remains an unfulfilled goal. The Voting Rights Act must continue to be vigorously enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice, and Congress must continue to extend and improve the Act.
We urge strong enforcement of the new federal "Motor-voter" law, which will make it easier for Americans to register to vote, and rejection of the ludicrous assertion that participation in democracy imposes an unfair financial burden on state governments.
Finally, we urge our affiliated unions, state federations and local central bodies to take part in next month's re-enactment of the historic 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery March in Alabama, an event which was lead by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and which launched the campaign to pass the Voting Rights Act.