Welcome everyone to todays hear ing. Evidence on current and ongoing voting discrimination, i recognize myself for opening statement. Todays hearing on evidence of current and on going voting discrimination is part of hearings on house judiciary subcommittee to assess the current need for a reinvigoration of section 5 of Voting Rights act 65 to consider other ways to strengthen the civil rights extension, im not sure why we rereinvigoration, that seems one of the words that we toss around, not really invigoration, degradation, section 4 was cut out, so we need to have a section 4 to activate section 5, section 5 has been made dormant by the Supreme Court so we need to find new test to awaken the dormant power of section 5. Voting rights act of 65 widely considered the most effective civil right statutes enacted by congress. The act was successful and in expanding federal authority to protect the fundamental right to vote, one of the central enforcement provisions section 5 preclearance