Rep. Corrine Brown: “I know this is not a perfect bill, but it is the perfect beginning. I say that over and over again because, as I stand…”

“I know this is not a perfect bill, but it is the perfect beginning. I say that over and over again because, as I stand here today, 27,000 of my constituents' votes were thrown out because of old equipment. Do my colleagues hear me? Twenty-seven thousand votes that have not been counted to date. And I want to say to the young people, it does matter who is in charge. It matters who is in charge, and this is the first step that we have taken to correct that, the first step. I know that all of the civil rights community is not happy with this bill. I am not happy with it. The reason why I am not happy with it is because it took so long to get here. I wanted it here for the midterm elections. It is not, but it will be for the 2004 election. Mr. Speaker, this is not a perfect bill but, for me, it is the greatest accomplishment of the 107th Congress. The greatest thing we have done is to make sure that what happened in the 2000 election never happens again in this country. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to say that it matters who is in charge. To the young people, I want you to know that your vote does matter, and that every vote counts. And voting matters because the person in charge sets the agenda.”