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Jul 25, 2006 -- Congressional Redistricting Hearings Called for by Campaign Legal Center The Campaign Legal Center is urging Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) to hold hearings on Congressional redistricting before the end of the 109th Congress. The letter to Chabot, who chairs the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on the Constitution, stresses the need to hold hearings so that a serious discussion of the controversial redistricting issue can begin. The Legal Center cited the importance of these hearings now, in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent decision in the Texas redistricting case ( League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry ) and on the heals of the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.
The Legal Center noted that two redistricting bills in the House - The Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act of 2005 (H.R. 2642) introduced by John Tanner (D-TN), and the Redistricting Reform Act of 2005 (H.R. 4094) introduced by Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) - can be used as starting points for the consideration of this issue of vital importance to voters across the country.
To read the full text of the Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act of 2005 (H.R. 2642), click here.
To read the full text of the Redistricting Reform Act of 2005 (H.R. 4094) click here.
The full letter to Chairman Chabot is below.
_______________________________________________
July 25, 2006
The Honorable Steve Chabot
H2-362 Ford House Office Building
Washington , DC 20515
Dear Chairman Chabot:
The Campaign Legal Center strongly urges you to hold hearings early this fall on the issues affecting congressional redistricting. As the record developed in the Texas congressional case ( League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry , decided recently by the U.S. Supreme Court) clearly shows, the redistricting process can be used by political party operatives as a tool for partisan gain, while the protections afforded minority voters under the Voting Rights Act often get trampled in the process.
While the House has recently passed legislation reauthorizing the Act, there still remain serious and growing questions about current redistricting practices. For example, the Supreme Court's Texas decision did not find mid-decade redistricting to be unconstitutional -- a decision that seemingly permits Legislatures across the country to
redistrict after each and every election solely to achieve partisan gain.
Problems such as fractious gerrymandering, the decreased competitiveness of congressional elections caused by carefully calibrated districts drawn to safeguard incumbents (leading to decreased accountability), and the repeated shifting of voters through re- redistrictings solely designed to achieve political power grabs undermine the American voters' confidence in the integrity of our democratic process.
Proposals aimed at addressing these problems are pending in the Congress. These include H.R. 2642, the Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act of 2005, introduced by Representative John Tanner (D-TN) and H.R. 4094 the Redistricting Reform Act of 2005 introduced by Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). While there is little time left in the 109th Congress for substantive action on this topic, there is time for the Subcommittee to hold hearings as a means of starting the critical conversation inside and outside of Congress on potential reforms. These two legislative proposals would be a good starting point for this conversation.
We believe that redistricting reform is critical. The House will need to act in the next Congress to ensure that competitiveness and accountability remain healthy parts of our democratic process and keep the overly partisan and unchecked redistricting process from spinning out of control. Our nation cannot continue down the road with a system that undermines our representative democracy by allowing elected officials to choose their constituents, rather than a system where voters choose their elected officials.
We urge you to schedule hearings this fall on redistricting reform and the best ways to ensure and promote competitiveness and accountability in our democratic system.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter that is so critically important to the future of democracy in the United States.
Sincerely,
J. Gerald Hebert
Executive Director
Meredith McGehee
Policy Director
cc: Representative Jerrold Nadler
Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner
Representative John Conyers
House Judiciary Committee
Representative John Tanner
Representative Zoe Lofgren
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