[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21052]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       FLORIDA VOTER SUPPRESSION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as the time is nearing, as we 
have listened to the candidates for office of President and Vice 
President of the United States, we are reminded that this may be in 
fact the most important election in our history. It may begin to change 
the course of history for this Nation and begin to put us on the right 
course.
  So today I rise, Mr. Speaker, to remind Americans that every vote is 
precious. Why again in the State of Florida has voter suppression risen 
again as has been raised by my colleagues from Florida, particularly 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Meek), and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).
  Again we have the State of Florida attacking individuals who are 
trying to vote and to register to vote. Now we find out in the State of 
Florida that even after thousands have registered to vote, what do you 
have but the government suggesting that those registration cards will 
be deemed illegal and will be deemed where the voters will not be able 
to vote. Why? Because somebody did not check a box, an unnecessary box, 
a box that the law does not say that they have to check.
  I do not understand, Mr. Speaker, why again we have Florida in the 
center of the eye of the storm, unfortunately, the eye of the storm of 
suppressing voters in the United States of America. We are all going to 
be in Florida. We are all going to make sure that people are able to 
vote, and we are all going to make sure that this is an election that 
is fair. Our lives depend on it.

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