Future of the Voting Rights Act, water quality issues addressed at Cleo Fields event

MANSFIELD, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Congress is on break, so Representative Cleo Fields is using his time off to visit each of the ten parishes in his district.

He spoke with residents in Mansfield this week about the town’s aging infrastructure, along with their concerns about losing their long-fought-for district.

The water in Mansfield has been a concern for its residents after the city’s system received a failing grade from the Louisiana Department of Health last year. Mayor Thomas Jones assures residents it’s safe, but they need funding for pumps, faulty leaks, and overall upgrades. It’s caught Congressman Fields’ attention.

“There is a real serious problem with the water treatment plant here in Mansfield and South Mansfield. I’ve requested folks with LDH to come look at it because that is a real issue. People deserve to have clean water, and we’re going to address that first right off the bat,” said Rep. Fields, (D) La District 6.

During his ten-town hall tour, Fields addressed people’s fear of the federal government.

“People are not blind. They know this bill took money from the poor and just gave it to the rich. The wealthy of the wealthy,” Rep. Fields said.

“Citizens are not happy about the big, ugly bill. They’re concerned about losing their health care. They’re concerned about losing their nutrition benefits, rural hospitals. I visited one today in Natchitoches. Rural hospitals under this bill will suffer,” he said.

Advocates, lobbyists, and lawmakers fought and won a second majority-minority district, they said, that represents Louisiana’s black vote. The Louisiana Supreme Court mandated it, the legislature approved it, and then the state supreme court upheld it in 2024. A citizens ‘ group filed a complaint against it that now heads to the U.S. Supreme Court this fall.

“I just don’t think the courts will say that minority voters are just left to fend for themselves. But to fight on whether or not Louisiana is entitled to a second majority-minority district to me is just … you know, the population in this state is 33% black. Everybody deserves an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice,” Fields said.

Now, redistricting is a battle in neighboring Texas. Fields said he hopes Governor Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump stand down to avoid a political Pandora’s box.

“Who does that? Who wakes up in the morning and says I need five more Republican seats. Redistricting was never for Democrats or Republicans. It was for the people. For the Texas governor to follow through, shame on him, quite frankly. If they do it in Texas, they are going to do it in other states, then it never stops,” he said.

Congress returns to session on Friday.

Fields went on to say the Voting Rights Act is in danger and the Supreme Court may further strip parts of it this year.

He said Section 5 was repealed in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby County versus Holder, where the court ruled that certain states with a history of voting discrimination no longer needed federal approval to change their voting laws. He said only Section 2 remains, which prohibits discrimination based on color. So if it is repealed, the Voting Rights Act would no longer exist.