Juanita Millender-McDonald

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. I yield to the Speaker-designate, Ms. Pelosi.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my colleagues on the other side that many bills have been passed in the cloak of night that were adverse to the American people. What we are saying tonight is that this resolution is for those hard-working workers who have given so much to this House, and for us to deny them, and especially these are Republican staff members, not Democratic staff members that we are talking about, and to deny this, to me is just absolutely unconscionable at this Christmastime. I will urge you to reconsider this resolution and pass it as the Senate has passed their resolution to try to address those who are transitioning out because of a change in majority.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution parallels the Senate resolution. I am amazed that here we are at Christmastime and staff is moving, transitioning on to unemployment, that we cannot at least be sensitive to giving them some type of severance pay. We are talking about staff that has worked so hard in this House and has helped us have the successes that we have had. So I urge my colleagues to not defeat this bill. This bill is to suggest to those staff members and leadership staff that we appreciate the work that they have done. Many of these staff members might get the job the next day so we will reduce that severance pay, but at least it is a step in the right direction. I urge support for this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, Speaker-designate Pelosi has indicated that she intends to usher in a new direction and spirit in this House, a spirit which opens doors and encourages mutual recognition, trust and respect among all Members and their staffs. Likewise, she has signaled that this House, as a two-century-old institution, is held in trust for all Members as a place to debate and formulate national policy and to carry out the people's business. Mr. Speaker, on November 7, the American people spoke loudly with their votes, and they said that they wanted a new direction in this national legislature. For many years, the sharp edge of partisanship and party interests have permeated the very fabric of this very body, its rules and its operations. Speaker-designate Pelosi intends to change that in the legislative arena, while acknowledging the improvements made in the administrative arena during the last decade. The House has enhanced its bookkeeping and become more efficient in its operations. These are important improvements, irrespective of which party controls the House. Retention of House officers during transition recognizes continuing institutional interests which transcends party interests. That is a new direction. And this resolution, sponsored by Chairman Ehlers and myself on behalf of our respective leaderships, is a new direction as well. This resolution recognizes that the displacement attendant to a change in majority is unpredictable and beyond the control of individuals. This resolution further provides for up to 60 days of severance for leadership and committee staff displaced by a change in majority party status. This resolution follows the Senate model, promotes civility, and acknowledges the direct institutional contribution made by displaced House leadership and committee staff. This is the kinder, gentler side of an institution weakened over the last decade by partisan strife. This is just one of many new directions intended to begin the process of healing in the House. This is a sign that good faith and bipartisanship or nonpartisanship can help bridge the gap of past partisan differences. This is an acknowledgment that people matter as much as systems, that outcomes are as important as processes. This is a small step toward a greater goal, and Speaker-designate Pelosi intends to achieve that goal, while acknowledging and respecting each Member's beliefs and values and perspectives. I am pleased to be on the ground floor of this institutional rebuilding process, and I thank my chairman for his able, fair and balanced leadership on this resolution. It is a new direction worthy of all Members' support, and I urge passage of this resolution.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. No, I am not.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I applaud the gentleman from Louisiana for this very interesting and important resolution. I support the resolution. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 73 and thank Representative McCrery for introducing this very important concurrent resolution which encourages our Nation's youth to register to vote. There are few rights as Americans that are more sacred than the precious right to vote. Discussing this resolution today gives all of us in Congress the opportunity to express our support for the goals set forth by the great State of Louisiana to provide the opportunity for all high school seniors to register to vote at school and to encourage their participation in the political process. Madam Speaker, you and I and many Members very frequently visit our high schools and speak with our students, and it is so important for the high school seniors to register to vote. A lot of them are very much interested in what goes on in this House, and it is important that we continue to engage in dialogue with them so that they will be participants, active participants in this political process. In the spring session of 2002, the Louisiana legislature ratified House Concurrent Resolution 20, declaring the first Tuesday in May as Louisiana High School Seniors Voting Registration Day. This resolution encourages students to participate in our political process and in making democracy work. In my home State of California, the legislature passed the Student Voting Registration Act of 2003, which gives the Secretary of State the power to annually provide every high school, community college, and California State university and the University of California systems' campuses with voter registration forms to expand the number of youth participating in the voting process. The goal of California's law is to ensure that every high school and college student receives a voter registration card with his or her diploma. California is achieving its goal by providing voter registration forms at the start of the school year, including voter registration forms with orientation materials, placing voter registration forms at central locations, and including voter registration forms with graduation materials. I am so pleased and so proud of the State of California for expanding this type of service to our high school students, and I hope that all States follow these models to enfranchise all of our Nation's youth. I hope that this resolution on the floor today will encourage our youth to participate in our democracy not only by registering to vote and voting, but by becoming poll workers. To facilitate youth involvement in our elections, this summer I offered an amendment to H.R. 5576, the Transportation-Treasury-HUD appropriations bill, to double the funding to the Election Assistance Commission to administer the College Poll Workers Grant program. This amendment was accepted to the bill without objection. I realize that the resolution under consideration today only speaks to high school students, but it highlights an important first step in increasing youth civic engagement and strengthening American democracy. I support this resolution and the continued goals and ideals of National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day and encourage all eligible students not only to register to vote but to exercise that franchise as well. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House and Senate were able to come together and address port security through the passage of H.R. 4954, the SAFE Port Act. This may be the most important piece of legislation we pass in the 109th Congress. Clearly our Nation's ports are critical to America's economic vitality. A major attack on the U.S. maritime transportation system would simply devastate the U.S. economy. Some 95% of American trade enters the U.S. through one of 361 seaports on board 8,500 foreign vessels and makes more than 55,000 port calls per year, which total worth is nearly $1 trillion dollars. Securing these and the rest of America's ports as well as the economic contributions they make must remain a top priority for each of us. As the proud Representative from California's 37th District, it is my responsibility to enhance the security at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the largest port complex in the Nation and the third largest in the world. In fact, over 52% of all waterborne cargo moves through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles alone. This is a bill rooted in sound policy. Many provisions of the SAFE Port Act was language in my legislation H.R. 478, the United States Seaport Multiyear Security Enhancement Act, which I introduced in February 2005. It was imperative that Congress passed a port security bill which included multi-funding and a broad approach to securing the entire international supply chain. I urge the President to sign the SAFE Port Act as soon as possible, as America's ports and those who live around them can wait no longer.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, as Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, which favorably reported this important legislation along with the Resources Committee, I urge my colleagues to move quickly so that the bill can become law this year and we can begin the process of planning a National Museum of American Latino Heritage here in Washington, D.C. I congratulate Rep. Becerra and Rep. Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership in introducing this legislation and for their hard work in pushing it forward. Persons of Hispanic, or Latino, descent have lived in the Western Hemisphere since the 16th Century. In the United States, they have become the largest minority group, and their impact will only grow stronger in the future. The culture of the Americas reflects a unique mixture of what was inherited from Europe, retained from the indigenous Native American inhabitants, contributed by Africans brought here during the era of slavery, and stirred in the melting pot of interaction with later immigrants from all around the world. I am pleased to support consideration of a Latino Museum which I hope would undertake serious scholarly research as well as create and display exhibits to tell the story of the American Latino to an ever growing population, which will be increasingly exposed to such cultural influences in the years ahead. This is a project which all Americans can enthusiastically embrace. Our Committee on House Administration worked for years with the gentleman from Georgia, Rep. John Lewis, to establish the Smithsonian African American Museum which finally became law in 2003. That legislation worked its way through Congress over a period of 17 years, passing the House and the Senate in different forms during that time, and then being successfully revived and studied by a Commission appointed by the President and Congress. Madam Speaker, that Commission worked through 2002 and early 2003 to compile information and recommendations for Congress to use in considering whether to finally establish the Museum, and in what form. While we did not accept all of the Commission's recommendations, I found that it provided invaluable focus and momentum in moving the project forward. H.R. 2134, and any future legislation to establish a new Museum which may spring from it, will hopefully enjoy a less tortuous path to a successful conclusion. The Commission to be created by this bill relating to the Museum of American Latino Heritage is largely patterned after the African American Museum Commission, and this time we are considering establishing the Commission at the beginning of the process of studying a Museum rather than near the end. The new Commission will examine, among other issues, whether this new Museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, as is the new African American Museum. The Smithsonian has unique expertise in both museum governance and successfully presenting information which tells a story in both educational and entertaining ways. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. I am opposed at this present time, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we have heard many folks on the floor talking about fraud in our election process. We have heard various speakers talking about getting rid of this alleged fraud. There is no Member on this floor who does not want to get rid of fraud. But, Mr. Speaker, this bill does not address real fraud. This is not a good bill. We have heard many speakers on the floor today delivering colloquies, trying to see whether or not this will fit or that will fit, when, in essence, this legislation merely does not get to the bottom of the real fraud, the problem of voter suppression. Mr. Speaker, I will be submitting for the Record letters from the National Association of Counties and local election administrators who are objecting to this piece of legislation because they say it imposes a fee on themselves and voters all of whom assert that they cannot afford to comply with this legislation is mandate. We have heard from the chairman and others on the other side who say that if one cannot pay for the ID, it will be paid for. But what they are doing is establishing an unfunded mandate with this piece of legislation, which is why NACO is objecting to this bill. We also have heard from the election commissioner and county clerk out of Fairbury, Nebraska and the administrator of elections from Anderson County, TN. I will submit these letters opposing H.R. 4844 for the Record. Mr. SPEAKER, the proponents of H.R. 4844 characterize this legislation merely as an administrative protection that it is simple to implement and necessary to prevent fraud. The truth is, H.R. 4844 is a misguided measure that will suppress voter turnout and undermine laws that Congress has already passed to assure all citizens will have a full and equal right to participate. We know, Mr. Speaker, that HAVA is in place now, which is a bipartisan bill that was passed out of this House with bipartisan support. To enact this law would be an affront to that bill, to all Americans who take pride in the progress our country has made in extending the franchise to all of its citizens, and to all individuals who take offense to the political manipulation of the majority. Partisan attempts to burden our Nation with troublesome proof of citizenship requirements are not the direction this Congress or this country should be taking. We know that the States of Georgia and Washington, have already thrown out legislation similar to this one. Democrats, along with well-intended Republicans, have fought for and won the extension of the Voting Rights Act for eligible Americans. During the last century, our country has expanded the right to vote to millions of Americans with the passage of the 19th amendment, gives which women the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was reauthorized on this floor just a couple of months ago, and we know that the VRA prevented institutional voter suppression. The 26th amendment, which gives 18-years-old the right to vote, is another bill that we have passed. Why should we consider a bill like this that does nothing to address voter suppression? This is an intimidation-type bill. It is a partisan attempt to allow the Republicans to maintain the majority. I tell you, this bill violates State constitutions and the U.S. Constitution because it disenfranchises citizens who are otherwise qualified to vote. The Democrats will not shirk our responsibility to defend the gains put forth by the bills already on the books. We will not shirk our responsibility to ensure that every eligible American has the right to vote. And we will not let these gains be lost to undocumented allegations of fraud that have not been quantitatively proven and have not proven by any empirical data that reveals this so- called type of fraud is widespread. The right to vote, Mr. Speaker, is too precious to allow any citizen's vote to be sacrificed by those who would treat it carelessly. I would hope that the other side thinks about this and not vote for this bad bill. This is not a good bill. It does nothing but hamper the American people. This bill creates a poll tax. I want the American people to know that Democrats are against all types of voter fraud and we are against your paying a poll tax to be able to vote. So I say to the other side that if you really want integrity, then let's look at these electronic voting machines that voters are worried stiff about because they do not know whether their votes will be counted. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that every Member who really has good intentions of trying protect the laws that are on the books will vote this legislation down. National Association of Counties, Washington, DC, September 19, 2006. Re H.R. 4844, the ``Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006'' Hon. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the chairman how many more speakers he does have.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to another great leader out of the State of Texas, the Honorable Sheila Jackson-Lee. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to a great leader from the great State of California, the Honorable Sam Farr.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Burton, you are speaking about an immigration bill at this point; so perhaps you should get that bill out. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to the great gentleman who walks in the footsteps of his great father, the Honorable Charles Gonzalez.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, this just shows you how flawed this bill is. This bill should have remained in committee so we could really crank out and clear up some of these problems. We have heard two colloquies from the majority on issues that are not a part of this bill, for heaven's sake. At this time I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman whose State has thrown out a similar type of law, the gentleman from Missouri, the Honorable William Clay.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Mica, perhaps you do want to consider not voting for the bill because 60 percent of new registrants in Pima County, AZ who are all eligible voters, were initially rejected. And for every 1 percent of individuals who do not have the necessary documentation of citizenship, 2 million voters are disenfranchised. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a man who does know about all of this, a former Secretary of State, the Honorable Jim Langevin from Rhode Island. (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to a great civil rights leader and icon from the great State of Georgia (Mr. Lewis).

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. The gentleman from Georgia is absolutely right. If we need to go after fraud, we need to get some quantitative information before we bring this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I now would like to yield 1 minute to our distinguished minority leader.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Zoe Lofgren), a distinguished and outstanding member of the Committee on House Administration.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I never thought as a girl growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, that I would meet, again, a present-day poll tax. My goodness. My father would be really amazed. Therefore, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4844, the so- called Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006, which requires all States to demand that voters provide government-issued identification in order to vote in the 2008 election and proof of citizenship in order to vote in the 2010 election. The Republican Party has acted without expressing any concern for the millions of American citizens who currently do not have the necessary documentation and consequently will be denied their right to vote. Further, the majority has not been moved by the realization that the burden of this legislation falls disproportionately on the elderly, the disabled, and ethnic minorities. Unfortunately, the Republicans made no effort to determine how many would be affected and be disenfranchised by this legislation. Mr. Speaker, with H.R. 4844, this Republican legislation devises a modern-day poll tax in the form of a proof of citizenship requirement that will keep some eligible voters from voting and make it harder for all American citizens to vote. No citizen should have to pay in order to exercise his or her constitutional right to vote. I have heard today on this Floor that President Carter's and Secretary of State Baker's reference to IDs fit within the intent of this bill. Allow me to clarify this assertion. Their ID proposal does not have requirements for citizenship, and they wish that everyone, not just those who can not afford IDs, possess them free of charge. They have not endorsed this piece of legislation. Proof of citizenship requirements place on the voter the difficult, time-consuming and costly burden of obtaining the necessary documentation to prove citizenship or identity in order to cast a vote. For example, our State Department reports that only 23 percent of all Americans possess a passport, and the cost of obtaining one exceeds $100. A majority of Americans do not currently possess the identification required by H.R. 4844, and requiring them to obtain one imposes an unconstitutional burden on their right to vote. Additionally, some Americans may be unable to acquire the necessary documents at any cost because they lack a birth certificate. We recognize that there are many minorities, especially African Americans, who were delivered by midwives, who did not have and do not have a birth certificate. There are some rural Americans who do not have birth certificates. We recognize that the State of Georgia indicates that 40 percent of their seniors would be denied their right to vote if this piece of legislation passes. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the Help America Vote Act, HAVA, strikes the appropriate balance between voter-ballot access and system-ballot integrity, and it was accomplished with bipartisan effort. The Committee on House Administration worked tirelessly to enact HAVA as a solution to the problems associated with the November 2000 general election. As a result of HAVA, $3.1 billion was appropriated to the States to improve the voting process. My alternative calls for the $800 million in shortfall funding to ensure full funding of HAVA. The question of citizenship was directly addressed head on in HAVA whereby Congress mandated that the mail-in registration form includes a box that asks the question, ``Are you a citizen of the United States of America?'' If you answer no, your form is rejected automatically. If you answer yes, and you are discovered not to be a citizen, you are subject to Federal prosecution. Mr. Speaker, we have laws on the books that if someone votes illegally, he or she will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The penalties are stiff and have successfully served as a deterrent to misrepresentation. The voter ID question was asked and answered by HAVA. HAVA provided a broad range of ID options for the narrow circumstances of first-time voters who register by mail or appear in person at the polls to cast their vote. A photo ID is only one option. All the other options include employment ID, student ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, paychecks, or a government document showing the name and address of the voter. Neither voters nor States are required to comply with a one-size-fit- all Federal mandate. The unavoidable consequence of enacting H.R. 4844 will be the decrease in the number of American citizens who are able to vote. H.R. 4844 will do far more to suppress turnout and intimidate voters than to prevent voter fraud, the purported objective of the majority. Now, we say to all of us here in Congress, if we know of fraud and of persons voting illegally, we should tell our district attorneys. We should not tarry on this type of thing, and I suggest to the majority, if they know of any fraud, please call their district attorneys. We do not need this type of bill to accomplish this task. We should be, as Members of Congress, representing the people and this people's House to do just that. For all the concern that the majority expresses about protecting the right to vote, this bill does nothing to stop voter suppression or correct the numerous administrative problems that are plaguing our elections and robbing our citizens of their right to vote. I also previously heard that Andrew Young is in support of this bill. In fact, we understand that Andrew Young is not in support of this bill and that his remarks have been taken out of context. He is opposed to this bill. H.R. 4844, as amended, will do nothing to stop the intentional forms of voter suppression such as the instances in 2004 when unsuspecting voters were misinformed about the time or place of the election or about the qualifications for voting. This bill will not remedy the long lines, misallocation of voting equipment, voting registration rules, or other election procedures that deny citizens their very critical opportunity to vote. These are the real issues that this Congress should be addressing. To that end, I have offered a substitute piece of legislation that addresses some of the problems of voter suppression and voter fraud that are not addressed in H.R. 4844. Our Congress should be improving voter access to the polls, preventing election fraud, paying for and supporting election integrity, but it was not made in order. In fact, this is a closed rule, which is what happens when the majority does not want us to bring real legislation to the floor. Mr. Speaker, because of the critical adverse impact of this bill and the affect it will have on our citizens' constitutional right to vote, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing H.R. 4844. Instead of making it difficult to vote, our job should be, in the people's House, to promote civic participation more broadly. There are 40 percent of registered voters who are not voting in our elections. This issue is what we should be addressing. Instead of erecting new barriers to voting participation, we should be devoting our resources to prosecuting the illegal intimidation tactics and solving the election irregularities which continue to surface with each election cycle. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.