[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 540]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today in 
support of legislation that I introduced yesterday to delay penalties 
to local governments who are unable to meet the May deadlines imposed 
by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. As a former county commissioner 
with firsthand experience with local voting boards, I know how hard it 
is to maintain the high standards we hold for our democratic process 
while meeting prescribed Federal guidelines and deadlines. I know that 
many local governments across the Nation right now are struggling to 
meet HAVA's requirements at the risk of losing all of their Federal 
funding.
  The ``Help America Vote Act'' was written to strengthen our election 
process, and to bring it up to date nationwide. For many areas this 
means buying new voting machines. This is no easy task, Madam Speaker, 
for many areas that are still using the same reliable machines that had 
been in use for many decades. Local governments need time to make such 
an important decision, not a deadline with a threat of Federal 
penalties.
  My legislation buys more time for local governments who are acting in 
good faith to follow the letter of the law by extending HAVA's 
deadlines from May to the general election in November. This is 
commonsense reform of necessary legislation, and I urge my colleagues 
to support it.

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