(press release)
Pelosi: 'Today's Debate About Election Reform, Not an Election Result'
1/6/2005 5:09:00 PM
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To: National Desk
Contact: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616, both of the Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 /U.S. Newswire / -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke this afternoon on the House floor during debate on the challenge to Ohio's electoral votes. Below are her remarks:
"Mr. Speaker, today, we are witnessing democracy at work. This isn't, as some of our Republican colleagues have referred to it, sadly, 'frivolous.' This debate is fundamental to our democracy.
"The representatives of the American people in this House are standing up for three fundamental American beliefs: that the right to vote is sacred; that a representative has a duty to represent his or her constituents; and that the rule of law is the hallmark of our nation.
"And under the rule of law, today this House will accept the election of President Bush and Vice President Cheney as President and Vice President of the United States. There is absolutely no question about that. This isn't about in any way rejecting that outcome. So please, let's be respectful of each other and understand what it is about.
"Today's electoral challenge is not intended to overturn the results of the election. It is instead to discuss the real problems with our electoral system and the failings of the process in Ohio and elsewhere. It is about election reform, not about the election result.
"The Members of Congress who have brought this challenge are speaking up for their aggrieved constituents, many of whom may have been disenfranchised in this process. This is their only opportunity to have this debate while the country is listening, and it is appropriate to do so. If there were other venues of this caliber we would have taken that opportunity, but this is the opportunity. We have a responsibility to take advantage of it.
"The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. As the Supreme Court noted: 'No right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws, under which, as good citizens, we must live. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.' The principle of one person, one vote is sacred in our country, and we must do everything to uphold it.
"Yet more than 225 years since our founding, there are still legitimate concerns over the integrity of our elections and of ensuring the principle of one person one vote, that every person has access to voting and that every vote will be counted.
"Twenty years ago, I was the Chair of the California Democratic Party. It was our function, it was our purpose, to remove obstacles to of participation to voting. The greater responsibility, of course, was with the Secretary of State, in our state and in states across the country, who controlled the elections in the state. But we had a responsibility to remove, not throw up, obstacles to participating.
"I know that the issue is not just about counting votes, but what happens in all three phases -- before, during, and after the election. And, in all three phases, there were problems in this election in Ohio and elsewhere.
"Before the election, there were complaints about absentee ballots that were requested but did not arrive. There were reports of registration problems and of improper purging of the voter rolls. And the Ohio Secretary of State made decisions about provisional ballots, partisan poll watchers, and paper requirements for registration forms that some found questionable, leading to widespread confusion and possible disenfranchisement.
"During the election, we know that there were not enough voting machines in poor and minority areas. This is a fact. Yet, there were sufficient machines in wealthier areas. This led to appallingly long wait times of up to 10 hours in certain places. You Republicans can deny it all you want, but it is a matter of public record that this is a fact and that this is wrong. There are credible reports of voter suppression on Election Day through intimidation and misinformation. And the patchwork use of provisional ballots led to unequal treatment under the law.
"As for after the election, the American people must have every confidence that every vote legally cast will be legally and accurately counted. But constantly shifting vote tallies in Ohio, and malfunctioning electronic voting machines, which may not have paper receipts, have led to an additional loss of confidence by the public.
"As elected officials, we have a solemn responsibility to improve our election systems and its administration. We cannot be here again four years from now discussing the failings of the 2008 election. We must work with the Election Assistance Commission to further reform the election process, and we must pass legislation to improve the Help America Vote Act, including universal standards for provisional ballots and strong verification measures and paper trails.
"I want to commend Mr. Ney, the distinguished Chairman of the House Administration Committee, for his leadership in helping to pass the HAVA Act, which is really where we are pinning our hopes. And thanks to Mr. Hoyer who served in that capacity with you. Now a broader array of people is weighing in on that. Congress must seize the opportunity this year to reauthorize the Act and to make the needed reforms and improvements.
"Our very democracy depends on the confidence of the American people in the integrity of our electoral system. So my colleagues, please don't talk about this as a conspiracy theory. It's not about that. It's not about conspiracy. It's about the Constitution of the United States. George Bush and Dick Cheney are the elected President and Vice President of the United States, and the objection will be overruled today in that regard.
"It's never been about that. It has always been about the fundamental principle of our legitimacy of our electoral process. Congress will resolve this dispute today, and we will all abide by the result because we are a nation of laws.
"America is the beacon of democracy to the world. We must never forget the power of our own example to those who aspire for freedom throughout the world. So let's respect this debate today for what it is about -- ensuring the foundation of our very own democracy and sending a message to the world that we are truly protective of our Constitution and that we honor the oath of office that we take to protect and defend the Constitution.
"I urge my colleagues all to join together in a bipartisan way for electoral reform to follow on the good work of Mr. Ney and Mr. Hoyer, and to make sure that four years from now we will not have to have this kind of debate. But today's debate will serve the purpose it was intended to have for our country."
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=41339
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