Political Quotes

“The language does do it, especially with the second-degree amendment that has been accepted that the Senator from Kentucky offered. This amendment allows what 11 States currently are allowed to do and 7 actually do do, which is to use Social Security numbers to validate people for voter registration purposes. When the Privacy Act was adopted, those States were grandfathered. The other States were prohibited from doing this. There are several States that request Social Security numbers but don't require them. This would simply allow but not mandate States to request or to require Social Security numbers as one of the methods of identification. To the two specific points Senator Dodd raised, it is our intention, I reiterate--it is clear in the amendment language--that this is voluntary, not mandatory. No State would have to do this. And, of course, any State that did do it would have to meet all constitutional requirements, could not violate any privacy requirements, and so forth.”