[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 52 (Thursday, March 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE OVERSEAS VOTING PRACTICAL AMENDMENTS ACT

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 26, 2009

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with Congressman 
Michael M. Honda (D-CA) to re-introduce the Overseas Voting Practical 
Amendments Act which would protect the voting rights of the millions of 
American citizens currently living overseas. The Overseas Citizens 
Voting Act of 1975 guaranteed the right to vote for military personnel 
and U.S. citizens living overseas. However, a quarter of our men and 
women in the armed forces stationed overseas didn't even receive a 
ballot for November's election. More than half of overseas Americans 
that tried but could not vote, were unable to because their ballots 
were late or did not arrive.
  Right now, far too many overseas Americans are being disenfranchised 
by a tangle of bureaucratic red tape. The problems are many, including 
delivery issues, general lack of awareness of available voter 
assistance programs, and archaic state voting laws. Our bill proposes 
simple, inexpensive fixes that will help ensure the votes of every 
overseas American are counted.

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