Honorable Birch Bayh
United States Senator, Indiana, Democrat
Senator Bayh served in the U.S. Senate from 1963 to 1981. He served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1954 to 1962, where he was Speaker of the House from 1958 to 1960. The following is from the April 26, 1965, Senate floor debate on S. 1564, the Voting Rights Act. S. 1564 was introduced in response to a fundamental need, a need related to the heart of our form of government. Its purpose is clear: It is designed to secure the right to vote to all qualified citizens wishing to exercise this right. It was proposed only when…
