The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (7-2) in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA), Inc., that the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 pre-empts an Arizona voter registration law requiring documents showing proof of citizenship.

Civil and human rights advocates applauded President Obama’s announcement from the Rose Garden this morning that he has nominated Cornelia “Nina” Pillard, Patricia Millett, and Robert Wilkins to fill longstanding vacancies on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

In April The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a new report, Reversing the Rising Tide of Inequality: Achieving Educational Equity for Each and Every Child. The Education fund hopes the report will be used as a call-to-action for our nation to heed the findings For Each and Every Child: A Strategy for Education Equity and Excellence, issued in February by a panel of leading education experts appointed by Secretary Arne Duncan (aka The Equity and Excellence Commission).

Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing posing the question whether the Lifeline program is “money well spent?”  The Lifeline Fund, which provides discounts on telephone phone service to low-income households, is designed to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable communications services. In light of the increasing importance of communication services for the livelihood of all Americans, civil rights activists voiced support for the continuation of this program as well as expansion of it to include access to broadband networks for Lifeline-eligible consumers.

Bob Edgar, president and CEO of Common Cause, passed away suddenly this morning in his home. He was 69 years of age.