Russ Feingold: “today I will introduce the Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Act. This bill is a companion measure to legislation…”

“today I will introduce the Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Act. This bill is a companion measure to legislation introduced in the House by my friend Representative Artur Davis of Alabama. He has been a real advocate for victims of Hurricane Katrina, and I greatly appreciate his leadership on this issue. We are continuing to learn more about and to grapple with the myriad ways that the Hurricane Katrina disaster has affected the lives of residents of the Gulf Coast. Hundreds of thousands of people fled their homes, and are temporarily displaced. Most of these people hope to eventually return to the communities from which they were driven, and have every intention of rebuilding their lives there. As the communities in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi begin to rebuild, it is crucial that those who wish to return are able to take part in the government decisions that will have an impact on their communities and their lives. They must be able to elect the Federal leaders who will shape this recovery process. The legislation that I will introduce today will make sure that victims of Hurricane Katrina who are temporarily displaced, and who intend to return to their home States, continue to be eligible to vote in their States, and that the government takes steps to inform them of their rights in this area.…”