On November 9, 2012, the Supreme Court said that it will review the key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the “pre-clearance” provision, that requires states with a history of discrimination to gain approval of the Justice Department or a Federal Court for any proposed changes.  Congress renewed the Voting Rights Act in 2006, by a nearly unanimous vote, finding that ongoing discrimination demanded renewal.  The enduring import of the Voting Rights Act was demonstrated in the 2012 election when 12 states attempted to limit access to voting for many Americans, including minorities.  The full story is here (accessed November 12, 2012).