Anna Eshoo: “the debate today is not about contesting the results of the last November's election. Today's debate cuts to the essence…”

“the debate today is not about contesting the results of the last November's election. Today's debate cuts to the essence of our democracy--the founding principle of our country--the right to vote. Clearly, the right to vote is dependent on the assurance that all voters have access to the polls and that all votes will be counted. But since the presidential election in 2000 the American public has grown increasingly wary of the accuracy and integrity of our elections, and I applaud my colleagues for their efforts to bring focus to this issue. It's essential that we bring attention to the serious problems facing our electoral system. It's up to Congress to restore confidence in our elections, and I call on all Members to make this a priority in the 109th Congress. The 2000 Presidential Election spurred a series of reforms, and Congress took important first steps to improve our system of voting. I was proud to cosponsor the Help America Vote Act, which did much to upgrade our electoral process and create national standards for conducting elections. However, I'm disappointed that subsequent efforts to increase the security and reliability of our Increased Accountability Act in the 108th Congress, I supported requiring verifiable paper trails for all voting machines, a step that would provide a significant boost to voter confidence and allow for expedited recounts.”