Melvin Watt: “Mr. Speaker, today is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the father of the Republican Party. I think that President…”

“Mr. Speaker, today is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the father of the Republican Party. I think that President Lincoln is turning over in his grave today, because this proposal flies in the face of the legacy of President Lincoln, the legacy he left his party and the legacy that he left his country. He would be appalled. This proposal clearly is aimed at denying minority voters their legal right to vote. This bill not only threatens the rights of minority voters, it violates the values of privacy that are at the very foundation of a free society. This is a value that everyone in this Chamber holds very dear, or should hold dear. This proposal would amend the Social Security Act, overturn the Privacy Act protections, by allowing States to require Social Security numbers for voter registration. But the proposal does nothing to protect or ensure the privacy of those Social Security numbers submitted on voter registration applications. This is one more attempt at intimidation. All Americans should be aware. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to remember the legacy of Abraham Lincoln today. Vote ``no'' on this proposal.”