[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23451-23452]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GREATER CIVIC AWARENESS 
                   AMONG PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the majority leader, Mr. 
DeLay, and Chairman Bob Ney for bringing this timely resolution, H. 
Res. 796, to the floor today. I also want to thank the cosponsors for 
their interest in this bipartisan bill.

[[Page 23452]]

  H. Res. 796 recognizes and supports efforts to promote greater civic 
awareness among the people of the United States. The resolution 
recognizes those organizations and groups that actively promote voter 
registration and participation, as well as those communities and 
schools that have instituted civic awareness programs.
  The resolution also encourages local communities and elected 
officials at all levels of government to promote greater civic 
awareness among the electorate and greater participation in the 
upcoming elections.
  The Constitution of the United States establishes a representative 
form of government, and throughout our Nation's history, many groups of 
people have fought, protested, rallied, and died for the right to vote. 
The 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments to the Constitution represent 
some of those hard-won voting privileges.
  The percentage of Americans registered to vote unfortunately has 
declined in the last 10 years. There is no better time to make citizens 
more aware of the importance of exercising their right--and their 
responsibility--to vote. Voting is fundamental to our representative 
form of government--and as Members of Congress we must support and 
promote civic awareness and participation.
  Our democracy is a government of all the people, by all the people, 
and for all the people. All those eligible to vote have an equal voice 
in determining the future of our great Nation. H. Res. 796 promotes 
greater awareness of one of the greatest privileges we have as American 
citizens--the right to vote--and I urge my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle to join in supporting this timely measure.

                          ____________________