President Bush has been making general statements in support of VRA renewal for some time, but he has always avoided taking any position on the specifics. Now, literally as the House debate on H.R. 9 is underway, the administration has released this statement:

The Administration is strongly committed to renewing the Voting Rights Act, and therefore supports House passage of H.R. 9. The Voting Rights Act is one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in the Nation’s history, and the President has directed the full power and resources of the Justice Department to protect each citize”s right to vote and to preserve the integrity of the Nation’s voting process. The Administration is pleased the House is taking action to renew this important legislation. The Administration supports the legislative intent of H.R. 9 to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2003 decision in Georgia v. Ashcroft and its 2000 decision in Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board.