[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 3, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E199-E201]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2021

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a statement 
from Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan urging support for H.R. 1, 
For the People Act.

   Testimony in Support of H.R. 1, For the People Act--Strengthening 
                       America Democracy Hearing

                (Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan)

       Dear Chairwoman Lofgren, Ranking Member Davis and 
     Distinguished Members of the Committee: My name is Shemia 
     Fagan, and I'm honored to serve as Oregon's 28th Secretary of 
     State. As Oregon's chief elections officer, I lead the agency 
     responsible for upholding our democracy. I am writing in 
     support of H.R. 1, For the People Act.
       My dad raised my two older brothers and me as a single 
     parent in a beautiful part of rural Oregon: The Dalles and 
     Dufur. Our mother suffered from addiction and was in and out 
     of our lives. I remember my brother driving us to the 
     Portland area when I was in high school to see my mom after 
     she had been homeless for several years. We pulled up to this 
     large Victorianstyle house, with a big wrap around porch and 
     we were blown away by this large house. Instead of walking up 
     the steps to the front door when she greeted us though, my 
     mother dropped to all fours and crawled under the porch. She 
     invited us into her home, where a sleeping bag covered the 
     dirt. Underneath that porch she shared with us one of her few 
     possessions, a box of pictures of me and my brothers. A few 
     years later she went into recovery and fought her addiction. 
     In doing so, she fought for herself and our family. In 2014, 
     she passed away and I'll never forget the words of the 
     minister at her eulogy, ``Trish reached the

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     place of an ordinary life, but it didn't just happen to her, 
     she had to fight for it with everything she had in her.''
       Many of us understand the meaning of the minister's words 
     because we have had to fight, and are often still fighting, 
     against poverty or injustice to reach the place of an 
     ordinary life. The ballot is a place to have your voice heard 
     on the issues that impact you directly. Those fighting 
     against barriers to the ballot box need to see progress 
     within reach, and I've learned that no matter the fight: 
     progress must be within reach for everyone. H.R. 1, the 
     People's Act is a step toward progress for all eligible 
     Americans.
       I'm fighting every day as Oregon's Secretary of State to 
     ensure every Oregonian has a voice.
       The consideration of H.R. 1 comes at a critical moment in 
     America's history. For far too long, too many Americans 
     across the country have faced barriers to having their voice 
     heard. We should not settle for the status quo. We know that 
     free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our society, 
     democracy, and country--and that they are under threat. 
     Hostile foreign governments are trying to undermine our 
     democracy and attack our democratic institutions. Meanwhile, 
     people within our own democratic institutions are putting up 
     barriers that impede the fundamental right to vote. We must 
     take seriously these attempts to undermine the basic 
     principles of democracy.
       H.R. 1, the For the People Act, will help restore and 
     bolster voters' rights. Democracy only works when the people 
     can participate and have their voice heard. This legislation 
     will help to lift the voices of every American, no matter 
     their political party or where they live.
       H.R. 1, the For the People Act, will help restore and 
     bolster voters' rights. Democracy only works when the people 
     can participate and have their voice heard. This legislation 
     will help to lift the voices of every American, no matter 
     their political party or where they live.
       H.R. 1 builds upon best practices across the country, 
     including many originated in Oregon. We are proud to lead by 
     example with tried and true policies that have improved voter 
     access and participation in the democratic process for 
     decades. The late Republican Secretary of State Dennis 
     Richardson said, ``Everyone who is eligible to vote should be 
     able to vote.'' Secretary Richardson's words exemplify what 
     we proudly refer to as `The Oregon Way.' Together, Oregonians 
     across the political spectrum continue to work together to 
     reduce barriers to participating in our democracy. As 
     Oregon's Secretary of State, I am proud to lend my voice to 
     the chorus calling for replicating Oregon's example to other 
     states.
       Vote at Home Act is important legislation that was 
     introduced by Representative Earl Blumenauer and Senator Ron 
     Wyden and I'm proud to support this act and see the critical 
     legislation included in H.R. 1.
       Best Practices in Oregon include:
       Vote by Mail
       Automatic Voter Registration
       Online voter registration
       Voting Rights for formerly incarcerated individuals
       Secure and convenient drop box locations throughout the 
     state
       Early Voting
       Pre-registration of 16 and 17-year-olds
       Voting for individuals with disabilities
       Voting for uniformed services and overseas voters


                  Vote by mail/verified paper ballots

       In Oregon, we have a proud tradition of open, fair, and 
     accessible elections. This is why we were proud to be the 
     first state to switch entirely to a vote-by-mail system. 
     Voters first approved our vote-by-mail system in 1998 and it 
     has long enjoyed bipartisan support. My recent predecessor, 
     Republican Secretary of State Bev Clarno said in a 60 Minutes 
     interview that voteby-mail is not controversial in Oregon and 
     suggested that if other states try it, ``they might like 
     it.''
       Thanks to our safe, secure, and modern system, Oregon 
     consistently ranks as a national leader in voter turnout. 
     Voters' pamphlets are sent to every Oregon household two to 
     three weeks before an election, giving voters time to 
     research issues or candidates. Registered voters receive an 
     official ballot to complete and insert into an official 
     ballot return envelope, which is then signed by the voter. 
     This ballot return envelope can be mailed (postage paid) or 
     dropped off at any official drop box across the state.
       Election security is built into Oregon's vote-by-mail 
     system. Each ballot has a unique bar code. Election officials 
     in every county double check the signature on the ballot 
     envelope to ensure it matches the one on file. In the 2020 
     elections, Oregon had a 3-step authentication process that 
     allowed for computer verification and then two individuals 
     verify the signature on the ballot. Simply put, paper ballots 
     are the safest method for conducting secure and accurate 
     elections.
       Military and overseas ballots are mailed to voters at least 
     45 days before Election day. Ballots may be accessed through 
     an on line portal called ``My Vote'' and filled in with 
     Oregon's online ballot-marking tool. Once printed, ballots 
     are mailed to the appropriate county elections office. A 
     signed ballot may be faxed or emailed if the voter completes 
     and returns an official Secret Ballot Waiver Form.


                      Automatic Voter Registration

       In 2016, Oregon became the first state to implement an 
     automatic voter registration (AVR) system. Under the old 
     system, most Oregonians needed to take a separate step to 
     register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) 
     after obtaining or renewing their driver license or ID Card. 
     This law makes voter registration automatic, shifting from an 
     opt-in process to an opt-out process. It eliminates the need 
     to fill out the voter registration card for those with 
     qualifying interactions at the DMV. Instead, eligible 
     Oregonians receive a mailing from the Oregon Elections 
     Division explaining their options for registering to vote.
       The AVR process is limited to applicants who have been 
     coded as citizens by DMV. The Elections Division sends Oregon 
     Motor Voter Cards to those who have provided documentation 
     that they are U.S. citizens. Oregon voters are also required 
     to attest to their qualifications--including citizenship--at 
     the time they submit their ballot.
       As a result of automatic voter registration, 92 percent of 
     the eligible voting population is registered to vote. Since 
     implementation in the 2016 election cycle, Oregon saw the 
     second largest increase of people of color registered at 79 
     percent, according to Blue Lab analysis. A study by political 
     scientist and voting expert Professor Paul Gronke of Reed 
     College, found that Oregon's AVR system helped register more 
     people of color, young people, those who are low income, and 
     rural voters. Across the board, Oregon's AVR system has been 
     one of the most successful programs in the country to expand 
     access to the ballot.
       We already know that this program has been instrumental to 
     bringing the vote to traditionally disenfranchised 
     populations. As just one example: in 2016 advocates in Oregon 
     spoke with a man named Charles who was automatically 
     registered to vote. Charles was an African American and 
     disabled veteran of both Korea and Vietnam wars who was told 
     by his commanders not to register to vote because ``Black men 
     shouldn't vote.'' Thanks to Oregon's AVR legislation, Charles 
     cast his ballot for the very first time--ensuring his vote 
     had a place in Oregon's democracy.


   Online voter registration/Pre-registration for 16 and 17-year-olds

       Oregon's online voter registration tool provides Oregonians 
     a convenient and secure way to make sure they can participate 
     in the democratic process. Oregon first implemented on line 
     voter registration in 2009. In the first year of 
     implementation almost 87,000 Oregonians used the system.
       Just a few years after, Oregon began allowing 16 and 17-
     year-olds to pre-register to vote under the online voter 
     registration system and through the AVR system. Oregon's 
     online voter registration system, also allows Oregonians to 
     conveniently update their registration if they move, change 
     their name or mailing address, or want to select or change a 
     political party.


          Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

       Oregon allows previously incarcerated individuals the right 
     to register to vote in Oregon. Persons convicted of a felony, 
     whether the defendant serves their term of incarceration in a 
     state correctional facility or in a county jail, cannot vote 
     while they are serving their term of incarceration for the 
     felony. All others in the criminal justice system retain 
     their right to vote (such as pre-trial detainees, persons 
     serving misdemeanor sentences in county jails, persons on 
     parole or probation).
       Voting rights are restored when a person convicted of a 
     felony is released from incarceration. However, once released 
     from incarceration they must re-register to vote in order to 
     restore their voting rights.


                Voting for Individuals with Disabilities

       Oregon allows individuals who are visually impaired to 
     request a large format ballot from their local county clerk's 
     office. The election clerks can send them a video, and/or an 
     audio clip to assist individuals with filling out their 
     ballot privately and securely. Voters with no or limited 
     vision can use a screen reader to have ballots and the 
     voters' pamphlets read to them. Voters using tablets to mark 
     a ballot can increase the size of the font and change the 
     color and contrast of the text. Additionally, Oregonians can 
     utilize a screen reader or other technology to access a 
     ballot at home using ``My Vote.''
       Tablets also help voters with cognitive disabilities or 
     limited reading capabilities. They work well for voters with 
     limited range of motion. Voters who are quadriplegic or have 
     severe arthritis can use their fingers or a number of 
     assistive technologies, such as sip-and-puff systems, to mark 
     their ballots.
       Any Oregon voter who needs assistance with can get 
     assistance registering to vote, voting, or returning their 
     ballot and are encouraged to contact their local election 
     officials to ask for assistance and support.


                               Conclusion

       We are proud of our trailblazing efforts to ensure all 
     eligible Oregonians have access to the ballot box. In Oregon 
     we believe, regardless of political party or affiliation, 
     that democracy works when everyone is represented and 
     everyone can participate and have their voice heard. H.R. 1 
     is necessary to ensure Americans who all too often face 
     barriers to the ballot box have an opportunity to have their 
     voice heard.
       H.R. 1 builds upon best practices we have built here in 
     Oregon. We are proud to lead by example with safe, secure, 
     transparent, efficient, and modern policies that have been

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     working in our state and across the country for years.

                          ____________________