We may actually have a chance getting HR 550 through the house this session with Ehlers in charge of the committee! If you know anyone who lives in his district (around Grand Rapids, MI) pleasse ask them send this article to him to make nice and let him know that they'd really appreciate it if he'll move the bill to the floor. It now has 159 cosponsors, for heavens sake. He only accepts email from his constituents, but you can send a fax his DC office. fax: (202) 225-5144
BE NICE TO HIM THOUGH. HE'S REASONABLE, A SCIENTIST, AND HE AND REP. HOLT ACTUALLY GET ALONG VERY WELL!!!!
Go here for the page to send:
http://votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=748&Itemid=26Ehlers' Chairmanship: An Opportunity for Election Reform? By Warren Stewart, Director of Legislative Issues and Policy, VoteTrustUSA
January 17, 2006
“It is crucial that voting systems be easy to use, accurate, verifiable, secure, and reliable”
Rep. Vernon Ehlers, July 24, 2004
With the resignation of Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) from Chairmanship of the Committee on House Administration, Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) will assume leadership of the committee to which most election reform legislation is referred. Election reform advocates are hopeful that under the chairmanship of Rep. Ehlers, the committee will finally consider legislation to ensure the security and verifiability of elections. While evidence of the unreliability and insecurity of electronic voting machines has mounted steadily in the past three years, culminating in reports submitted by the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service, common sense proposals like requirements for voter verified paper records and mandatory audits have languished under the chairmanship of Rep. Ney.
With his explemplary reputation as an authority on science and technology issues established through his oversight of Congress’ transition to the internet age in the mid-90s, his advocacy of math and science education and research funding, and his promotion of improved voting system testing and certification procedures, Ehlers has demonstrated a clear understanding of computer security issues and the need to safeguard the integrity of elections.
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Fellow physicists Ehlers and Holt have joined on two occasions in writing “Dear Colleague” letters in support of science and mathematics funding. In 2003 together with Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) they wrote to the House Appropriations Committee to call for increased funding for math and science education. Last year, Ehlers and Holt co-authored a letter supporting increased funding for the National Science Foundation. Hopefully they will be able to work together on the passage of Rep. Holt's Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act as well.
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In 2004, as Chair of the House Science Committee's Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards, Ehlers held a hearing entitled "Testing and Certification for Voting Equipment: How Can the Process Be Improved?". In his opening statements at the hearing Ehlers noted that, in spite of testing administered by Independent Testing Authorities, in each election there are incidents of voting machines that "fail to perform properly causing confusion in the polling places and concerns over the potential loss of votes.” He went on to say that “these incidents have raised concerns about the reliability of the testing process, the credibility of the standards against which the machines are tested, and the laboratories that carry out the tests.”
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Please read the whole article and send it to him!
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