Supreme Court justices are hearing arguments today in a challenge to the part of the Voting Rights Act that forces parts of the country with a history of discrimination, mainly in the Deep South, to obtain federal approval for any changes to their election laws, the Associated Press reports.
Those responsible for the lawsuit argue that Section 5 of the act is no longer necessary because the "dire local conditions" that once justified it no longer exist. The Obama administration and civil rights groups disagree, arguing that Congress was justified in maintaining the preclearance provision when the law was last renewed in 2006.
President Obama said last week, "It would be hard for us to catch those things up front to make sure that elections are done in an equitable way" if the advance-approval requirement were to be stripped away.
Read more at the Huffington Post.