Political Quotes

“I rise today in support of every American's basic right to vote and to have that voted counted. As it stands, voters have no way of knowing what is actually recorded, once they vote. H.R. 2239, the bill introduced by my colleague from New Jersey, would make certain the process of voting is not in any way a leap of faith. This act would ensure our constituents see a record of verification for the votes they cast. When Americans go to the bank, they receive some manner of documented record, ensuring that their money is going where they intended. Likewise, Americans who use voting machines deserve a documented record confirming their vote was recorded correctly. Nine percent of the U.S. population records their votes electronically. These numbers greatly vary from State to State. Twelve percent of Ohio votes are recorded electronically. Eighty percent of Kentucky voters use electronic ballots. Without an adequate confirmation method, mechanical misvotes could have a drastic impact on close elections. The problem would go unnoticed. H.R. 2239 would also accelerate the deadline for compliance with voting systems standards from January 1, 2006 to the regularly scheduled November 2004 general Federal election. In order to guarantee accurately recorded votes for next year's election cycle, Congress must act now. We cannot put the basic rights of our constituents on hold. The right to vote is a right every citizen of this country deserves.”