The Voting Rights Act of 1965 used a coverage formula in §4(b) to require certain jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to "preclear" voting changes with the federal government before implementing them. In Shelby County v. Holder (2013), the Supreme Court struck down the coverage formula as outdated, effectively suspending §5 preclearance.
Restoration proposals include the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would create a new coverage formula based on recent voting-rights violations, and the Freedom to Vote Act, which sets federal standards on registration, mail voting, and redistricting.
The debate centers on whether federal preclearance is needed to deter voting discrimination or whether existing §2 case-by-case litigation is sufficient.