House votes to pass Voting Rights Act

In spite of the efforts of a few conservatives, the House voted Thursday to extend the Voting Rights Act.

Newspaper reports showcased the vote as an effort by Southern conservatives to kill the measure because they wanted to relax "federal oversight of their states," according to the Associated Press. It is interesting, however, to note that of the 33 House Republicans who voted against the measure, only 12 were from the South - - six from Georgia, two from North Carolina and one each from Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina. Meanwhile , another 12 opponents were Republicans from two states - - evenly split between California and Texas.

The measure, which passed 390-33, generated emotional debate by supporters and opponents. Rep. John Lewis, the Georgia Democrat who was beaten in 1965 in Selma, shouted on the floor that extension of the act was still needed because discrimination still exists in America.

Opponents included (Southerners in bold):

Baker (LA)...................................Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD) .................................Barton (TX)
Bonner (AL).................................Burton (IN)
Campbell (CA) ............................... Conaway (TX)
Deal (GA) ................................... Doolittle (CA)
Duncan (TN)................................Everett (MD)
Foxx (NC) ...................................Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ) ..................................Gingrey (GA)
Hefley (CO) ...................................Hensarling (TX)
Herger (CA) ..................................Johnson, Sam (TX)
King (IA) ................................... ...Linder (GA)
McHenry (NC) ..............................Miller, Gary (CA)
Norwood (GA) .............................Paul (TX)
Price (GA) ....................................Rohrabacher (CA)
Royce (CA) .....................................Shadegg (AZ)
Tancredo (CO) .................................Thornberry (TX)
Westmoreland (GA)