This week in the War on Voting: John Lewis, civil rights hero

This was far and away the highlight of the week. The players are Rep. Paul Broun, Republican from Georgia, with an amendment to end all funding for U.S. Department of Justice enforcement of Section Five of the Voting Rights Act, and civil rights veteran Rep. John Lewis, Democrat from Georgia, who marched with Martin Luther King Jr.

REP. LEWIS: It is hard and difficult and almost unbelievable that any member, especially a member from the state of Georgia, would come and offer such amendment. There's a long history in our country, especially in the 11 states that are'of the old confederacy from Virginia to Texas'of discrimination based on race. On color.

Maybe some of us need to study a little contemporary history dealing with the question of voting rights. Just think, before the voting rights act of 1965, it was almost impossible for many people in the state of Georgia, in Alabama, Virginia, in Texas, to register to vote, to participate in the democratic process.[...]

It's shameful to come here tonight and say to the Department of Justice you must not use one penny, one cent, one dime, one dollar to carry out the mandate of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. We should be opening up the political process and letting all our citizens come in and participate.

People died for the right to vote. Friends of mine. Colleagues of mine. Speak out against this amendment. It doesn't have a place. I yield to the chairman. This is'I agree with the chairman. This is not the place. I will not yield. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

Rep. Broun immediately withdrew his amendment. For now, anyway. Republicans are determined to thwart the law, and with a number cases working their way through the courts challenging the Justice Department's authority to enforce the Voting Rights Act, this Supreme Court could roll the country back half a century.

For more of the week's news, make the jump below the fold.