Political Quotes

“since becoming chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration with jurisdiction over Federal elections, I have come to have a better appreciation for and deeper understanding of the obstacles and barriers that our military men and women serving abroad and at home and U.S. citizens living in foreign lands encounter when they try to vote. As I explained at a Rules Committee hearing held in May of 2009, every couple of years around election time, there is a great push to improve military and overseas voting. But as soon as the election is over, Congress all too often forgets the plight of these voters. But last year, Congress delivered. Our motive was simple--we wanted to break down the barriers to voting for our soldiers, sailors, and citizens living overseas. On a bipartisan basis, we agreed that it was unacceptable that in the age of global communications, many active military, their families, and thousands of other Americans living, working, and volunteering in foreign countries cannot cast a ballot at home while they are serving or living overseas. For our military, what especially moved us to act was the fact that they can fight and put their life on the line for their country, but they can't choose their next commander-in-chief. This shouldn't happen--not in the United States of America where elections are the bedrock of our democracy. With the 2010 elections less than 7 months away, a new law is on the books.…”