[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 157 (Sunday, November 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELLSTONE:
  S. 1503. A bill to protect the voting rights of homeless citizens; to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration.


           the voting rights of homeless citizens act of 1997

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Voting 
Rights of Homeless Citizens Act of 1997. I am proud to stand alongside 
the distinguished House sponsor of this bill, Representative John 
Lewis.
  Mr. President, over the course of the last century, Congress has 
systematically removed the major obstacles that once prevented many of 
our citizens from voting. Not too long ago, only land-owning white men 
had the privilege of participating in our democracy. Women and 
minorities were prohibited from casting the ballot. More recently, 
people had to pay a poll tax or take a test in order to qualify to 
vote.
  Before the civil rights movement, there were areas in the southern 
part of this country where the vast majority of the population was 
black, but there wasn't a single registered black voter. In 1964, three 
young men gave their lives while working to register people to vote in 
rural Mississippi. Many people over the course of our history have 
sacrificed their lives in order to expand voting rights for all 
Americans.
  In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson proposed that we ``eliminate every 
remaining obstacle to the right and opportunity to vote.'' Eight months 
later, this Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it 
possible for millions of Americans to participate in the political 
process for the first time.
  Our Nation has made even more progress since then. The motor voter 
law made voter registration more accessible to working people. But our 
historic strides have not taken us far enough. The time is long overdue 
to ensure that every American has the opportunity to exercise this 
fundamental right. It is reprehensible that there are still American 
adults who are unable to partake of the most important right of 
citizenry.
  The purpose of this legislation is to give the power to vote to 
homeless citizens of this country. The bill would remove the legal and 
administrative barriers that inhibit them from exercising this right. 
No one should be excluded from registering to vote simply because they 
do not have an address. But in many States, the homeless are left out 
and left behind. This is wrong. This is against the grain of this great 
nation.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in opening the political process to 
every American--even those without a home. I urge my colleagues to join 
me by cosponsoring and supporting passage of the Voting Rights of 
Homeless Citizens Act of 1997.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S.1503

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the `Voting Rights of Homeless 
     Citizens Act of 1997'.

     SEC. 2. VOTING RIGHTS OF HOMELESS CITIZENS.

       No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or 
     standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied 
     by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the 
     right of any citizen of the United States to vote because 
     that citizen resides at or in a nontraditional abode.

     SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT.

       The Attorney General may commence in the name of the United 
     States a civil action (including an action against a State or 
     political subdivision) or an aggrieved citizen may institute 
     a proceeding under this Act, for injunctive relief against a 
     violation of section 2.

     SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

       This Act shall not be construed to impair any right 
     guaranteed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 
     et seq.).

     SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

       As used in this Act, the term `nontraditional abode' 
     includes--
       (1) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter 
     designed to provide temporary living accommodations 
     (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and 
     transitional housing for the mentally ill); and
       (2) a public or private place not designated for, or 
     ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodation for human 
     beings.

     SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act applies with respect to elections taking place 
     after December 31, 1997.
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