Vol. 15, No.1 (Fall/Winter 2005)

Civil Rights Monitor

The CIVIL RIGHTS MONITOR is a quarterly publication that reports on civil rights issues pending before the three branches of government. The Monitor also provides a historical context within which to assess current civil rights issues. Back issues of the Monitor are available through this site. Browse or search the archives

Vol. 15, No.1 (Fall/Winter 2005)

IN THIS MONITOR,
we review legislative activities related to Social Security, hate crimes, and the Voting Rights Act; discuss key Supreme Court civil rights decisions; and provide updates of developments on the Supreme Court and in the federal courts. We also summarize Leadership Conference activities, including new initiatives on education reform and a new study on the reach of ethnic/racial media.

Inside.....

On the Hill

Federal Judicial Nominations

The battle over judicial nominations that began during President Bush's first term continued, as he re-nominated, on February 14, several highly controversial nominees that the Senate had previously rejected.

Developments on the Supreme Court
Surprising many who had expected that 80-year-old Chief Justice William Rehnquist would be the one stepping down, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on July 1 announced that she was retiring from the Supreme Court.

Social Security Turns 70 as Debate over its Future Continues
Activists around the country used Social Security's 70th birthday as a platform to urge Congress to protect, preserve and strengthen what has been recognized as the nation's most successful government program. They are resisting attempts to cut guaranteed retirement, disability, and survivors benefits by creating private accounts.

Broad Coalition Urges Congress to Reject Consent Decree Bill
Civil rights and other groups have opposed a bill introduced by Senator Lamar Alexander, R. Tenn. and Rep. Roy Blunt, R. Mo., which would limit both the lifespan and scope of consent decrees against state and local governments.

Anti-immigrant "REAL ID" Act Becomes Law
The "REAL ID Act," a package of anti-immigrant provisions, became law on May 11, 2005.

Bipartisan Hate Crime Legislation Introduced in House of Representatives
A bipartisan group of legislators, led by Rep. John Conyers, D. Mich., introduced hate crimes legislation adding protections for victims of gender, sexual orientation, and disability bias crimes on May 26.

The Voting Rights Act at 40: The Battle is Not Yet Over
As the nation celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), civil rights groups and voting rights experts around the country highlighted the importance of this historic legislation and the continued need to ensure that the right to vote is secured for all Americans.

Executive Branch

Alberto Gonzales Confirmed as U.S. Attorney General
The Senate voted February 3 (60 to 36) to confirm Alberto Gonzales as U.S. Attorney General.

In the Courts

Two Years after Grutter
In the two years since the Grutter v. Bollinger Supreme Court decision upholding the consideration of race as a factor in higher education admissions, affirmative action opponents continued their opposition to the policy.

Key Supreme Court Decisions on Civil Rights
Among the key civil rights cases decided by the Supreme Court during the 2004 term were decisions involving the interpretation of Title IX, the federal sentencing guidelines, the juvenile death penalty, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

LCCR Activities

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Honors Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awardees for 2005
Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP; Ginny Thornburgh, director of the Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability; and Senator Tom Daschle were honored on May 4 at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights' annual Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award Dinner.

LCCREF Activities

Education Symposium Highlights Programs to Improve Schools
Researchers, public education advocates, and educators who run innovative programs met on March 4 to discuss - and occasionally debate - what works in education reform and why.

New Study Maps Rise in Ethnic/Racial Media Nationwide
Media directed to racial and ethnic populations reaches 51 million adults, according to the findings of the first-ever comprehensive multilingual survey on this subject.