[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 30, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6941-H6943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HEALTH CARE AND VOTER REGISTRATION ENROLLMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Gohmert) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, this has been an interesting week for a 
number of reasons. I would like to call to attention a letter that was 
written by Chairman Darrell Issa, my friend from California, to 
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services this week.
  The first paragraph, after saying, ``Dear Madam Secretary'' says:

       The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is 
     investigating the insurance exchange application, online at 
     www.healthcare.gov, established by the Department of Health 
     and Human Services. As part of this investigation, we are 
     writing to request information related to voter registration 
     data collected during the application process.

  On further down, the letter says:

       While HHS and its contractors continue to struggle with the 
     task of processing applications for health insurance 
     coverage, the agency uses the Web site to collect voter 
     registration information. Once an applicant completes the 
     online application for health care coverage, a dialogue box 
     appears asking, ``Would you like to register to vote?'' In 
     light of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also 
     known as the Motor Voter Act, which requires any agency that 
     provides public assistance to provide individuals with an 
     opportunity to register to vote, the Department decided to 
     include the voter registration option on the health care 
     application. The inclusion of this voter registration may 
     give applicants the impression that registering to vote is 
     somehow tied to receiving health care benefits, such as 
     insurance subsidies.
       Given the well-documented flaws with the health care 
     application process, the public lacks confidence that HHS has 
     the ability to safeguard applicants' voter information. 
     Documents reviewed by the committee show that applicants may 
     submit personal information over the Internet during the 
     application process without encryption, potentially exposing 
     personally identifiable information to interception and 
     abuse.

  Further down it says:

       Further, it is unclear how HHS uses the voting information 
     it collects once a user submits this data on the Web site. 
     Applicants rightly expect that only State election officials 
     will have access to their information. Voter registration 
     contains important personal details that are valuable to 
     various individuals and organizations.

  Toward the end, Chairman Issa says:

       These facts raise questions as to what happens when the 
     same individual expresses the desire to register to vote 
     multiple times. HHS does not appear to have the capacity to 
     differentiate between duplicates and first-time applicants.
       In short, it is unclear what happens to voter registration 
     information once HHS receives it. Applicants have an 
     expectation that the Federal Government is not transmitting 
     private information to third parties, knowingly or 
     unknowingly.

  But interesting questions were raised by my friend Chairman Issa. It 
should also be noted that the chairman of the Subcommittee on National 
Security, my friend from Utah, Jason Chaffetz, also signed that letter. 
So that has certainly caused some digging in my office to find out what 
this was about.
  And then we find information about www.demos.org. They have a report 
by Lisa J. Danetz called ``Building a Healthy Democracy: Registering 68 
Million People To Vote Through Health Benefit Exchanges.''
  Well, that is interesting. It makes you wonder what they are up to. 
They are involved in this www.healthcare.gov, apparently. And their own 
information from demos.org says they are going to use the health 
benefit exchanges, apparently, to try to register 68 million people to 
vote.
  So while people in America--and I have talked to many who are just 
scared because they have got someone sick in their family. They have 
lost their insurance that the President promised they could keep. They 
are scared about the superhigh deductibles they have gotten. They are 
scared that under ObamaCare they have been sentenced to go from full-
time work to part-time work, which means, as I have heard from some, 
that, gee, that means we have now had to go on public assistance 
because I never wanted welfare, didn't need welfare until the so-called 
Affordable Care Act forced us into it.
  So people are concerned all over America. The majority want ObamaCare 
gone. The Web site is not working.
  And then we find out that, actually, the Web site seems to be as 
concerned about getting people registered to vote and getting their 
invaluable voter information as they are about dealing with the crisis 
in American lives involving their health care and their health 
insurance.
  You have got people with ulterior motives. They are apparently not 
just signing people up from the goodness of their hearts because Demos 
makes clear in their own information, We are going to use the health 
benefit exchanges to register voters.
  Well, now, who would they be registering to vote? Because we are all 
in favor of people eligible to vote voting. Although we know that the 
Attorney General has sued States like Texas, even though the Supreme 
Court has made clear that Indiana's law requiring a photo ID, the 
Attorney General's rules that require a photo ID to get in to see him, 
the Democratic National Committee requiring photo IDs to get into their 
convention, having to have a photo ID to get alcohol or cigarettes or 
basically to get on a plane or get on most any conveyance in interstate 
commerce, you have got to have a photo ID. And States like Texas have 
said, If you can't afford it, then just fill out the oath, and we will 
take care of it for you.

                              {time}  1645

  So, on the one hand, we have an Attorney General and Department of 
Justice doing everything they possibly can, even in the face of a 
Supreme Court decision saying photo ID requirements are okay. They 
still are going after States, which I would humbly submit, Mr. Speaker, 
disenfranchises legitimate voters when the Attorney General of the 
United States takes action to prevent States from preventing fraudulent 
votes.
  I was shocked when people called out for international observers to 
come watch our own election process. This is America. We don't need 
international observers to watch our process, so I thought. And yet 
international observers watched our process of voting and were 
absolutely shocked that we were so cavalier about who got to vote.
  No identification requirements. Clearly, people were in a position to 
vote more than once if they wanted to. People were in a position to 
vote who were not U.S. citizens, and people could vote multiple times.
  I know in Iraq, I was over there right after their first election, 
and those people had to dip their fingers in permanent ink that they 
wore around for weeks until it finally wore off. But it made sure that, 
even in Iraq, they were protecting the integrity of their voting

[[Page H6942]]

system further than what we are doing here.
  Well, this demos.org, they are going to register, they say, 68 
million to vote through health benefit exchanges. So the thing to do, 
it seemed to me, was to get their annual report.
  So, Mr. Speaker, that is what I got--Demos' annual 2012 report--to 
see who these people are that are going to register voters. I am sure 
they would be fair and register voters from all walks of life.
  And then here we see the president is Miles Rapoport. Being the 
president, he has got a nice Letter from the President, the board 
chair.
  So then you look up a little background. Well, who is this Miles 
Rapoport? An article from keywiki said Miles S. Rapoport is the leftist 
president and CEO of New York-based think tank Demos.
  It goes on to say:

       While studying at Harvard in the late 1960s, Miles Rapoport 
     was active in the radical Students for Democratic Society, 
     SDS.

  Mr. Speaker, it seems like I have in the back of my mind SDS evolved 
into something called--some of them did--the Weather Underground that 
Bill Ayers would know a great deal about, being that he held the first 
fundraiser for the man who is now our President.
  But the article goes on to say:

       Harvard SDS campaigned against U.S. military involvement in 
     Vietnam--

  Obviously, a lot of people did.

       --and the presence of Reserve Officers' Training Corps, or 
     ROTC, on campus. In an April 7, 1969, letter to the Harvard 
     Crimson opposing Harvard President Pusey's support for the 
     ROTC, Miles Rapoport and fellow SDSers Naomi Schapiro, Carlin 
     Meyer, Rick Brown wrote, ``to conclude, President Pusey, they 
     support the U.S. military and the policies it carries out. We 
     feel that ROTC must go because we oppose the policies of the 
     United States and we oppose the military that perpetuates 
     them. The lines are clearly drawn. The time to take sides is 
     now.

  Well, that was Miles Rapoport, the president of Demos, that is going 
to register 68 million people through health benefit exchanges that 
most of us thought were actually just going to be trying to help people 
get health insurance. They are going to gather their most personal 
information and allegedly get them registered to vote. And you can't 
help but wonder what people like former SDS leader Miles Rapoport want 
to do with people's personal identification information.
  So looking on further back in the Demos Annual 2012 Report, see what 
kind of fundraisers they have had. Well, they had a ``2012 Transforming 
America Awards and Gala Celebration.'' So we look down and who were the 
honorary chairs?
  There is Bertha Lewis. Some may remember she was head of something 
called ACORN. So the former head of ACORN is honorary chairman, helping 
Demos that is going to register 68 million people through the health 
benefits exchanges.
  There is Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO. Oh, and here 
are our friends at Service Employees International Union, SEIU, and, of 
course, the international union UAW.
  So that gives us a little feel about what Demos is doing, but it 
caused a little further examination as to who is it that is gathering 
this very personal information that Demos wants to use to get 68 
million people registered to vote through the health benefit exchanges.
  There are a lot of issues and questions that need to be answered--not 
only about how are they using the personal information of people that 
just wanted to protect their families or themselves with insurance.
  So who is it that is actually gathering this information to help 
Demos in their efforts?
  There is an article here from PJ Media by David Steinberg, ``Draining 
the Swamp: Top 40 Troubling Listings from the ObamaCare Navigator/
Assister Security Nightmare: The article said:

       Last week, we reported that the ``honor system'' is being 
     used to confirm the identity and certification of navigators/
     assisters. The ``find local help'' feature on healthcare.gov 
     refers consumers to potential predators.
       We have since reviewed, State by State, every single 
     navigator/assister that healthcare.gov currently displays to 
     the public via ``find local help.''
       This search revealed two additional dangers of the 
     navigator/assister system.

  It is not just a defunct or a problematic Web site. There is a 
problem with who is doing this, who is gathering information, who is 
this nightmare and train wreck of a Web site sending people to.
  This says:

       Number 1. The consumer is vulnerable, but so is the 
     taxpayer. The program is rife with organizations that have 
     advocated for ``open borders,'' have helped 
     illegal immigrants dodge apprehension, and have attempted 
     to give illegal immigrants access to additional taxpayer-
     funded resources.
       Such organizations are obvious risks to fraudulently 
     register illegal immigrants for subsidized health insurance 
     and, as such, have no business being included in the 
     government-funded navigator/assister program.
       Number 2. Regulations require navigator/assisters to be 
     ``unbiased.'' However, many organizations that were founded 
     partly or entirely to advocate for politically left-leaning 
     policies--including causes such as ``universal health care,'' 
     ``single-payer,'' and ObamaCare itself--are nonetheless part 
     of the program.
       Many of these groups already receive government funding, 
     which further raises the obvious conflict of interest issues. 
     As many will be paid according to the number of consumers 
     successfully registered for an ObamaCare plan, such groups 
     have several incentives to steer consumers away from free-
     market plans that may be superior options.
       Outside of the below list, only a handful of suspicious 
     ``open borders'' or politically biased organizations have yet 
     been exposed nationally. Below, a list of 40 to spur the 
     much-needed discussion.
       This list is divided into three categories. Some listings 
     may fit more than one category, but all are listed only 
     according to the primary concern regarding each.
       Number 1. Open Borders Groups. These groups exist in part 
     or in whole to secure greater Federal benefits for illegal 
     immigrants. As such, all are obvious risks to fraudulently 
     register illegals for subsidized insurance.
       Number 2. Politically Biased Organizations. ObamaCare 
     regulations require all registered help to be ``unbiased.'' 
     Yet these groups include leftist political advocacy as a 
     primary part of their mission, presenting conflict of 
     interest problems. Additionally, they have financial 
     incentives to steer consumers away from free-market plans.
       Number 3. Suspicion Regarding Legitimacy. Of great concern, 
     considering healthcare.gov does not guarantee the legitimacy 
     of any listings. While some of these listings may be 
     legitimate, healthcare.gov saw fit to expose these suspicious 
     listings to consumers with no further information to assist 
     with their choice.
       A final note: These listings are certainly incomplete. 
     Community health centers have generally been excluded from 
     it, though the sector has generally been supportive of the 
     push for ObamaCare. If included, this list would be several 
     times longer.
       Also, a part 2 of this article is forthcoming.
       Open Borders Group.
       Number 1. Campesinos Sin Fronteras: ``Farmworkers Without 
     Borders.'' This open-borders organization has participated in 
     countless rallies and activity advocating for the 
     decriminalization of illegal immigration. For just one 
     example, read of Director Emma Torres' organization of a 
     March in 2006:
       The 5-mile walk was marked by chanting, the waving of 
     American and Mexican flags, and showing placards of opposing 
     Senator Sensenbrenner's proposal to criminalize undocumented 
     immigrants and those who help them.
       Emma Torres, adviser at the Institute of Mexicans Living 
     Abroad and director of Farm Workers Without Borders, stated 
     that a committee had recently been formed to plan the May 1 
     event. Around 30 people formed a committee in order to invoke 
     a boycott of commercial goods and services and a walkout of 
     jobs and schools.
       The purpose of the committee, said Torres, is for the 
     United States to feel the weight of the contribution of 
     immigrants because ``a lot of people deny the contribution 
     that we make as legal or illegal immigrants and they don't 
     want to see that we have so much power in the economy.''
       Number 2. Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas. This 
     group's Web site boasts of being an affiliate of leading 
     radical open-borders organization La Raza.
       The success of HWOA and events also lies in its 
     affiliations with local, State, and national organizations. 
     In 2001, HWOA was selected to participate in the Emerging 
     Latino Communities Initiative of the National Council of La 
     Raza. Since October 1, 2004, HWOA has been an affiliate of 
     NCLR, whose mission is to reduce poverty and discrimination, 
     and improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

  It sounds nice, but they certainly are not unbiased.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, these are organizations that are listed at 
healthcare.gov, apparently, to be navigators or assisters to help 
people with their health care choices. But, obviously, these 
organizations seem to have other motivations.

                              {time}  1700

       Number 3 is the Center for Pan Asian Community Services: 
     This organization has expressed its support of just about 
     every attempt to legalize the U.S. illegal population

[[Page H6943]]

     and has additionally expressed displeasure with the Voter ID 
     law. They rallied against the Supreme Court decision in 
     Shelby v. Holder, inviting members to participate in a 
     ``voter suppression update teleconference.'' They approved of 
     the Associated Press' decision to remove ``illegal 
     immigrant'' from their style guide. They frequently and 
     enthusiastically expressed their support for the passage of 
     ObamaCare.
       In 2007, when the idea of a $10,000 fine instead of 
     deportation for illegal immigrants was floated in Washington, 
     D.C., CPACS Executive Director Chaiwon Kim gave the following 
     statement:
       People who are in the country illegally tend to be among 
     the poorest clients at the Center for Pan Asian Community 
     Services, said Chaiwon Kim, executive director of the 
     Doraville nonprofit. So she doubts many could pay a fine 
     beyond a couple thousand dollars.
       ``Most of the undocumented, they are really underpaid,'' 
     she said. ``In a way, they've already paid society.''
       Number 4, another group, is the Puerto Rican Cultural 
     Center: The first thing that appears on the Web site (as of 
     last week) is a statement from the organization Centro Sin 
     Fronteras.
       Centro Sin Fronteras is involved in the struggle to stop 
     deportations and having a moratorium. We march and fight for 
     the rights of immigrants. We march to stop the deportations 
     and separations of our families. We are asking Obama to stop 
     the deportations now, but instead, while the Senate is 
     debating to pass an immigration reform, they are deporting 
     and separating even more families than before.
       In 2010, PRCC Executive Director Jose E. Lopez ``was 
     awarded the prestigious 2010 Health Award from the Health and 
     Medicine Policy Research Group. The Health and Medicine 
     Policy Research Group is an independent policy center 
     promoting social justice and health care equality for the 
     past 29 years''--and I just feel like there ought to be a 
     drum roll--``in Chicago.''

  Now, it is important to understand that we welcome immigration, and 
we need immigration in this country--it is freshwater flowing into this 
country--but it has got to be pursuant to the rule of law, and it has 
got to be legal. Even 60-plus percent of Hispanic adults agree that we 
need to secure the border before we do anything else in the way of 
reform.
  It is also worth noting that, if a group like this had its way, we 
would never be able to deport terrorists. We had some who overstayed 
their visas and should have been deported. This group would be against 
that, which means they would be allowed to stay in the country and 
carry out the 9/11 attacks, which they did. Some of us have been 
pushing that the law be followed and that, if people overstay their 
visas, then legal action will be taken, and people will be deported, 
and it would be properly followed up.
  This administration has not and even the prior administration had not 
been doing that or the Clinton administration, but it is something that 
needs to be done if we are going to be a Nation of laws. Yet these are 
the very people who are out there assisting people with their 
healthcare.org filings and getting their personal voter information.
  Gee, after the IRS was weaponized and began targeting, wouldn't it be 
nice if conservative groups were allowed to register people for 
healthcare.org and to gather all of this personal information. I am 
being facetious, Mr. Speaker, because, under the law, to be a navigator 
or assister, you are supposed to be unbiased, and there is nothing but 
bias that we are seeing so far.

       Number 5. Hispanic Liaison of Chatham County: This group 
     operates a Victim's Assistance program--that is great--which 
     helps crime victims concerned about pursuing justice due to 
     their illegal status.
       Oh, we are back to that.
       Our bilingual Victim's Assistance program began in 1997 
     with funding from the North Carolina Governor's Crime 
     Commission. This program has been successful due to the trust 
     we have developed with the Latino population and our 
     collaborative relationship with community agencies. Several 
     factors limit Latinos' access to law enforcement and 
     emergency services, including fear of the unknown, fear of 
     documentation checks, and a lack of awareness that victims do 
     not have to pay for an attorney.
       Number 6. World Relief Chicago: This organization's 
     position on illegal immigration appears clear: they are 
     currently assisting ``children of illegal immigrants in 
     delaying their deportation through the DACA program.'' Their 
     Twitter account links to an article, titled, ``Undocumented 
     Migrants in U.S. Gaining Improved Access to Higher 
     Education.''
       Number 7. Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and 
     Empowerment: From their site's Civic Reflection page:
       A recently formed Chicago advocacy group for immigrant 
     rights, the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and 
     Empowerment, supports comprehensive immigration reform and 
     more just treatment of undocumented immigrants. Since late 
     last year, AFIRE has been using conversation about readings 
     by Pablo Neruda, Franz Kafka, Toni Cade Bambara, and others 
     to develop its organizational structure and mission.

  So it is interesting. We have got so many groups, and they are trying 
to help people who are illegally in the country. They are helping 
people illegally in the country, and Demos is a part of this, and their 
stated goal is to get 68 million new voters registered. This goes on 
and on, Mr. Speaker.
  We have got 40 organizations like Planned Parenthood. They are in 
here and are registering voters as, apparently, part of the navigators 
or assisters. I guess they were helping with Demos. We need to know 
about these things.
  A lot of these are politically active: the Arab American Action 
Network, the Arab American Family Services, the Campaign for Better 
Health Care, the CFL Workers Assistance Committee, Southern United 
Neighborhoods. It just goes on and on: In-Affordable Housing, Inc., 
Chatman, Inc., Chatman, LLC, the Family Health Care Foundation, 
Canaide, Inc., 2Hurt2Cry, Cutting Edge Health Options, Homebound 
Services, New Beginnings Medical Services, Village Communicator, Metro-
east Area Communities for Empowerment.
  We have got a bunch of folks who are supposed to be assisting in 
navigating for people who aren't able to get through the 
healthcare.org. They have political motivation. Their goal is to 
register 68 million new voters. No wonder this Web site is failing. If 
that is the case that it was being used for political purposes, what a 
disaster. People are scared about their health care, and these people 
just want to further their own political interests.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time we worried about Americans and were against 
fraudulent voting and got America back on track to survive for years to 
come and flourish.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________