House Republicans want to stop the poor from voting

The House bill sets aside 3.5 percent to 5 percent of the company's profits over the next five years for grants to build low-income housing. But a provision inserted in the bill at the 11th hour to assuage conservative Republicans provoked considerable debate because it would prohibit any group that engages in voter mobilization efforts from applying for grants.

The provision was opposed by more than 600 nonprofit and faith-based groups, including the National Urban League, Catholic Social Services, the N.A.A.C.P. and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. They said the provision was unconstitutional, contending that it interfered with voter registration efforts, and undermined the purpose of creating the housing fund.

Under the Republican provision, you can't do get-out-the-vote efforts if you work in affordable housing," said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. "There is an extremism here that is not comprehensible except if you know the history."

"It has always been clear that the money can only be spent on affordable housing," Mr. Frank said of the housing grants.

Representative John Lewis, the Georgia Democrat who became a national figure for his leading role in civil rights struggles of the 1960's, concurred.

"I can't believe this is happening in 2005," he said. "This is not 1964. This is not 1965. What we are saying is our own people, churches, synagogues, cannot participate in nonpartisan voter registration drives. What are we saying to the world? This provision will take us back to the dark past. We can do better, much better."