Washington, DC, February 28, 2008 - Yesterday, Congressman Bobby Scott
questioned the Department of Justice on barriers to voting for Asian American
voters, including issues of language access and unauthorized requests for voter
identification. Rep. Scott directed questions to Asheesh Agarwal, Deputy Assistant
Attorney General at the U. S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, at a voter
suppression hearing held by the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the
Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Rep. Scott, Chair of the Civil Rights Taskforce of the Congressional Asian Pacific
American Caucus (CAPAC) and member of the Judiciary Subcommittee,
highlighted a recent study conducted by the Asian American Legal Defense and
Education Fund (AALDEF). The report documented barriers to voting for Asian
Americans in nine states and the District of Columbia during the 2006 elections.
Problems include mistranslated voting materials and inadequte interpreters,
hostile poll workers, and improper or excessive demands for voter identification.
"Access to voting remains a significant barrier to Asian American voters, particularly
for language minorities and first-time voters," said Rep. Scott. "These communities
must be included in the discussion when Congress examines civil rights in the
voting context."
Rep. Mike Honda, CAPAC's Chair, agreed wholeheartedly with Rep. Scott.
Honda has made voting rights a CAPAC priority for the past two congresses.
"Voting is one of the most treasured civil rights in our history, and we must protect
the right to vote for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, English proficiency, or how
recently they've arrived on our shores," said Honda.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Agarwal testified that the Department of
Justice Civil Rights Division, if the study's findings were sustained, "would
absolutely take a look at bringing a lawsuit under Section 2 and/or section 203 of
the Voting Rights Act. We've done so in many instances already." Mr. Agarwal
mentioned that the Civil Rights Division is reviewing the allegations of the report.
Hilary Shelton, Director of the NAACP's Washington Bureau, also agreed with Scott.
He also highlighted the fact that these types of cases were a major problem
throughout the South as well as throughout the West .
"I applaud the Judiciary Committee for shedding light on these important
barriers for the Asian American community," said Honda. "I am thankful to Rep.
Bobby Scott for his continued leadership and advocacy in strengthening civil rights
for all Americans."
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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of
Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and members who have a strong dedication to
promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Since
1994, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American
life. For more information on CAPAC, please call (202) 225-2631 or visit
http://www.honda.house.gov/capac.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
CAPAC sheds light on Asian American voting rights at
Judiciary hearing
Judiciary hearing