[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14328-S14329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LOTT (for himself and Mr. Dodd):
  S. 2166. A bill to direct the Election Assistance Commission to make 
grants to States to restore and replace election administration 
supplies, materials, records, equipment, and technology which were 
damaged, destroyed, or dislocated as a result of Hurricane Katrina or 
Hurricane Rita; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Hurricane 
Election Relief Act of 2005. I thank my friend Senator Dodd--the 
ranking member of the committee I chair, the Senate Committee on Rules 
and Administration--for joining me in sponsoring this important 
legislation.
  It has now been over three months since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 
wreaked havoc throughout the gulf coast region, leaving almost 
unimaginable wreckage and destruction in their wakes. The good people 
in the region have suffered a terrible toll in terms of lives lost and 
property destroyed. Though their plight no longer dominates the 
headlines, the difficulties and hardships that these individuals 
continue to confront on a daily basis remain formidable. However, one 
thing that gulf coast residents should not have to face in the 
aftermath of the hurricanes is an impediment to their ability to fully 
participate in our Nation's democracy. The right to vote must not 
become a further casualty of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
  The hurricane-related damage to election infrastructure was extensive 
throughout my home State of Mississippi as well as Louisiana and other 
gulf States. Voting equipment was destroyed; voter records were lost; 
polling places were leveled. If this infrastructure is not restored in 
a timely manner, the voting rights of thousands of citizens in the 
region will be substantially impaired. This is not acceptable.
  But replacing damaged and destroyed election equipment and technology 
is not the only election-related challenge these States face. Thousands 
and thousands of individuals were forced to evacuate their homes and 
their communities and relocate to other areas and, in some instances, 
other States. Large numbers of these displaced individuals will not be 
able to return to their homes anytime soon. Consequently, if these 
citizens are going to participate in the upcoming elections that will 
shape the rebuilding efforts in their communities, they will have to do 
so largely by means of absentee ballots. This increased demand for 
absentee ballots will, in turn, present significant logistical 
challenges for localities that are already cash-strapped and struggling 
to recover in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Therefore, 
to ensure that gulf coast residents remain fully enfranchised, it is 
essential that the impacted States receive sufficient resources to 
restore their election infrastructure to pre-hurricane levels.
  For this reason, I am proud to introduce today the Hurricane Election 
Relief Act of 2005, which provides much needed funds to the States that 
bore the brunt of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to aid them in rebuilding 
election infrastructure that was damaged or destroyed. Specifically, 
the Hurricane Election Relief Act authorizes $50 million in grants to 
be distributed by the Election Assistance Commission, EAC, to assist 
affected States in restoring and replacing supplies, materials, 
records, equipment, and technology used in administering Federal 
elections that were damaged, destroyed, or dislocated as a result of 
the hurricanes. The act also permits the authorized funds to be used to 
ensure the full electoral participation of displaced individuals. Thus, 
State and local election officials could use monies furnished by the 
act to offset the costs associated with printing and processing voter 
registration and absentee ballot materials for displaced voters. 
Finally, the use of the funds provided under this act would have to be 
consistent with the requirements of Title III of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002.
  Much work remains to be done to help the communities impacted by 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita get back on their feet. I realize this fact 
more than most. Thus, it is my hope that my fellow Senators will 
enthusiastically support this important legislation, which will ensure 
that those individuals in my home State as well as those in the 
surrounding States whose lives were thrown into such turmoil as a 
result of the hurricanes will retain their ability to fully exercise 
their right to vote.
  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. 2166

       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 ``Hurricane Election Relief 
     Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. GRANTS TO STATES FOR RESTORING AND REPLACING ELECTION 
                   ADMINISTRATION SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, RECORDS, 
                   EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY WHICH WERE DAMAGED, 
                   DESTROYED, OR DISLOCATED BY HURRICANES KATRINA 
                   OR RITA.

       (a) Authority to Make Grants.--The Election Assistance 
     Commission shall make a grant to each eligible State, in such 
     amount as the Commission considers appropriate, for purposes 
     of restoring and replacing supplies, materials, records, 
     equipment, and technology used in the administration of 
     Federal elections in the State which were damaged, destroyed, 
     or dislocated as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane 
     Rita and ensuring the full participation in such elections by 
     individuals who were displaced as a result of Hurricane 
     Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
       (b) Use of Grant Funds.--Funds received under a grant under 
     subsection (a) shall be used in a manner that is consistent 
     with the requirements of title III of the Help America Vote 
     Act of 2002.
       (c) Eligibility.--A State is eligible to receive a grant 
     under this section if it submits to the Commission (at such 
     time and in such form as the Commission may require) a 
     certification that--
       (1) supplies, materials, records, equipment, and technology 
     used in the administration of Federal elections in the State 
     were damaged, destroyed, or dislocated as a result of 
     Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita; or
       (2) the system of such State for conducting Federal 
     elections has been significantly impacted by the displacement 
     of individuals as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane 
     Rita.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
     2006 for grants under this Act $50,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, nearly three months have passed since 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged the lives of the good people of our 
Gulf Coast region. Congress has taken great efforts to address the 
immediate needs of those affected by the hurricanes and continues to 
consider how we can assist the long-term needs of these communities. I 
previously came to the floor with the distinguished Chairman of the 
Senate Rules Committee, Senator Lott, to discuss the needs for

[[Page S14329]]

funding to restore the elections infrastructure of the impacted States, 
including not just those directly hit by the storms but also States 
that welcomed and provided shelter to those displaced by the storms.
  As the ranking member of the Rules Committee, I rise today to 
introduce with Senator Lott, the Hurricane Election Relief Act of 2005, 
a bill that authorizes the necessary funding to impacted States for the 
purpose of ensuring that they will be capable of conducting the up-
coming Federal elections next year, consistent with the Help America 
Vote Act ("HAVA'). This bill will ensure that impacted States will be 
able to strengthen the foundation of our democracy and the process by 
which we build communities. Specifically, this bill provides funding to 
States to restore and replace supplies, materials, records, equipment 
and technology that were damaged, destroyed, or dislocated as result of 
the storms. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is charged with 
distribution of the appropriate funding to the States.
  Earlier this month, Louisiana Secretary of State Al Ater postponed 
for up to eight months the elections for mayor and City Council in New 
Orleans from the scheduled February 4, 2006 date, after explaining that 
the infrastructure to hold an election is simply absent. Secretary of 
State Alter noted that polling places must be rebuilt, voting systems 
must be repaired, poll workers must be located, and a system to process 
the anticipated increase in absentee ballots must be developed. 
Following the storms, Ater requested $2 million from the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) solely to repair voting machines. To 
date, he has not received any of the requested funds and there does not 
yet appear to be a projected FEMA disbursement date for such funds.
  Mississippi Secretary of State Eric Clark surveyed the 43 counties 
affected by the storms in his State and announced that in order to 
facilitate elections without long lines, Mississippi needs $3.3 million 
to replace 966 voting machines as well as additional funding to assure 
that the counties meet the HAVA requirements effective January 1, 2006.
  In light of the above, it is essential that we rise and join together 
to ensure that all States, including those States impacted by the 
hurricanes, may conduct timely Federal elections that enable every 
eligible voter to cast a vote and have that vote counted, regardless of 
race, ethnicity, language, age, disability or community resources. The 
health of our democracy depends upon it.
  As we approach the end of the first session of the 109th Congress and 
prepare to return to the comfort of our families and constituents, let 
us give thanks for the well-being of our communities and provide the 
authority to allocate funding to those States which are rebuilding 
their communities in the aftermath of these devastating natural 
disasters.
                                 ______