[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 148 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11575-S11576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
        Cleland, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Leahy):
  S. 3273. A bill to require the Federal Election Commission to study 
voting procedures in Federal elections, award Voting Improvement Grants 
to States, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Rules and 
Administration.


                    voting study and improvement act

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, in the era of the Internet, in the era 
of the microchip, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, I am 
concerned that the most prosperous, productive and inventive nation in 
the world conducts its elections for its highest offices in some areas 
in ways that are outdated, slow, inaccurate, and inaccessible to many.
  That is why, Mr. President, I rise as an original sponsor of the 
``Voting Study and Improvement Act,'' which I am proud to introduce 
today with my colleague Chuck Schumer of New York.
  The long national nightmare that the 2000 Presidential election has 
become has taught us, Republican and Democrat alike, that we need to 
improve the

[[Page S11576]]

instruments of voting and the means of electing our federal office 
holders.
  Both rural and urban areas have unique difficulties not only with 
accessibility to voting, but also in funding improvements in their 
voting systems. A rural State like Kansas has problems with voting that 
are different than those faced by a State such as New York. Our 
legislation recognizes these differences, and will allow each State to 
implement the changes they believe are best for them. What is the best 
system for voting in Kansas may not be the best system for voting in 
New York. What is the best system for voting in some parts of Kansas 
may not be the best system for voting in another part of Kansas.
  That is why Chuck Schumer and I can agree to sponsor this legislation 
together today, and that is why we agree that something must be done. I 
am pleased to rise with Chuck Schumer today to introduce the Voting 
Study and Improvement Act.
  This is the first bipartisan attempt to provide grant money to States 
to implement alternate means and instruments of voting that provide 
swifter and more accurate results, and are less susceptible to partisan 
interference and differences of opinion
  Let me be clear: unlike some legislation that has been introduced in 
this regard, this is not a federal mandate of election standards. We 
provide the means to States to implement the changes that they deem are 
most fitting for their unique needs.
  In addition, unlike some other legislation that is being proposed in 
this area, we do not create a new federal agency or bureaucracy. We use 
the existing expertise and personnel of the Federal Election Commission 
to study possible improvements to our current voting system, and make 
recommendations for changes.
  Given the magnitude of controversy surrounding the 2000 Presidential 
election, it is tempting to create a new agency with new powers to 
solve these problems. Given these problems, it is also tempting to 
create a federalized system of voting for federal elections. However, 
Senator Chuck Schumer and I believe these decisions are best left to 
the individual States to decide. States are as different as my home 
State of Kansas is from Chuck's home State of New York, and they are 
the ones who can best decide how to improve their own voting systems.
  I encourage my colleagues to join Senator Schumer and myself in 
supporting this common-sense, bipartisan legislation, and help bring 
our nation's elections into the twenty-first century.
                                 ______