Republicans try for disenfranchisement - again

I was astounded to hear, during a brief stopover at the House of Representatives on C-Span today, Republican members attempt to use the disaster relief for the Gulf Coast as a chance to disenfranchise folks (and we know who they mean!). I'd heard before of some gleeful speculation by some Republicans that the evacuation of thousands of black voters from New Orleans would present an opportunity for Republican takeover. But here it was, the real stuff.

There is a bill on the floor that, among other provisions, would allow funding to faith-based charities to help them create housing for hurricane victims; an amendment was offered by Mr. Oxley (R-OH) and debated that, among other things, would disallow funds to any charity that happened to promote voter registration activities, to wit:

Non-profit recipients must have affordable housing as their primary purpose and, beginning one-year before applying, non-profits and their affiliates cannot have engaged in federal election activity, . . .

The amendment was apparently defeated on voice vote, but a request for recorded vote (and hence final determination) was put aside for later.