Alabama Republicans have advanced proposals to boost the number of Black voters in one of the state’s congressional districts, but critics say they're floating a court order to create a second majority-Black district or something close to it.

Alabama Republicans have rejected proposals to create a second majority Black voting district, despite an order from the U.S. Supreme Court to redraw congressional district boundaries.

Alabama and Mississippi closed government offices on Monday for Confederate Memorial Day as efforts have stalled to abolish or rename Confederate holidays.