[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 110 (Monday, July 23, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            VOTER PROTECTION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 23, 2012

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there is an 
unprecedented effort by the GOP to deprive millions of Americans of 
their right to vote. Proponents of these efforts to suppress the 
electorate continue to grossly exaggerate the threat of voter fraud, in 
hopes of excluding select groups of eligible voters from the polls, and 
thus swaying the election in their favor.
  In 2002, President Bush launched an aggressive 5-year campaign to 
crack down on voter fraud. The end result was a mere 86 convictions out 
of the 122 million people who voted during the 2004 Presidential 
election. There is no evidence to suggest that these facts have 
changed, and certainly not to the degree in which it is being touted by 
the Republicans. It is clear that the only reason why overly burdensome 
voter laws are being adopted is to exclude the elderly, our youth, 
minorities, and the poor from casting their ballots.
  Nationally, an estimated 21 million American citizens do not possess 
a government-issued photo ID. Under these restrictive laws, that is 
potentially 21 million Americans who will be excluded from the 
democratic process. In states like Texas, where millions of individuals 
live in rural areas and without easy access to ID-issuing offices, the 
costs are even higher. Millions more stand to be excluded, as voter 
suppression continues far beyond requiring specific forms of 
identification.
  Mr. Speaker, we must prevent these regressive policies from becoming 
law if we are to preserve the integrity of the electoral process for 
all Americans. Fourteen states have already passed restrictive voting 
laws. This deceptive practice has already gone too far, and I refuse to 
allow history to repeat itself in what is a direct attack on our 
democracy, and the American people.

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