John Larson: “although I have objections to the overall bill and I oppose the overall conference report on H.R. 2673, the Consolidated…”

“although I have objections to the overall bill and I oppose the overall conference report on H.R. 2673, the Consolidated Appropriation Act 2004, I rise today to support the additional $1 billion dollars in funding that has been included in the Omnibus spending bill for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). This funding is in addition to the $500 million request by the President and approved by the House in the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act of 2004 section of this Omnibus spending bill. HAVA was signed by the President over a year ago in response to the frustrations experienced by both voters and candidates during the 2000 election cycle. Reportedly, between four to six million Americans went to the polls in November 2000 and for a variety of reasons they were denied their right to vote and to have their vote counted. The causes for this denial of democracy range from faulty machinery to wrongful purges from voter lists to poorly designed ballots. Thanks to the leadership of the bill's co-sponsors, my House Administration colleague, Chairman Bob Ney, and former Ranking Member Steny Hoyer, with HAVA we now have the foundation for a much more efficient voting system, and the much needed increase in funding over the $500 million requested by the President necessary for its full implementation.”