[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14] [House] [Pages 19520-19522] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SHOULD ENSURE THAT MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS ARE PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION ON VOTING IN THE 2008 GENERAL ELECTIONS Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 388) expressing the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program should take certain additional and timely measures to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents are provided with reasonable information on how to register to vote and vote in the 2008 general elections, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution. The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 388 Whereas members of the Armed Forces and their dependents deserve every reasonable opportunity to participate in the electoral process given their daily sacrifices to protect our liberty and freedom; Whereas Congress enacted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act in part to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas are provided with sufficient information, opportunities, and balloting materials to foster their participation in Federal elections; Whereas the Election Assistance Commission found that less than 17 percent of the 6 million citizens eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act chose to participate in the 2006 general election; [[Page 19521]] Whereas the Election Assistance Commission further found that of the 48,600 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ballots that were not counted by States and local jurisdictions in the November 2006 elections, 70 percent were not counted due to incorrect or undeliverable addresses; Whereas the Election Assistance Commission further found that more than 10 percent of all uncounted military and overseas absentee ballots were rejected because they were received past the required deadline; Whereas the Election Assistance Commission further found that more effort needs to be made by the States and the Department of Defense to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas are made fully aware of their voting rights; Whereas the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Federal Voting Assistance Program are required to create and utilize a Federal Post Card Application that allows members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas to use a single application to register to vote and request an absentee ballot; Whereas a survey conducted recently by the Inspector General for the Department of Defense analyzed the effectiveness of the Federal Voting Assistance Program during the 2006 general election, and found that only 40 percent of members of the Armed Forces received voting information from the military and only 33 percent were aware of the Federal Post Card Application; Whereas in April 2008 testimony before the Committee on House Administration revealed that the Department of Defense had not provided all members of the Armed Forces and their dependents with post card applications by the January 15, 2008, deadline as required by Department policy, and that the Department has yet to comply with this requirement; and Whereas many of Department of Defense's outreach efforts, including its Armed Forces Voter Week, are scheduled to occur 60 days before the November 2008 election, which may not provide members of the Armed Forces and their dependents or citizens living overseas with sufficient time to complete and return the Federal Post Card Applications: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that-- (1) it is in the interests of the United States to ensure that the Secretary of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program provide members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas who are eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act with sufficient information regarding opportunities to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot for elections occurring in 2008, including the November 2008 general election; (2) the Secretary of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program must, on a monthly basis starting September 22, 2008, and continuing on the first of each month through the November 2008 general election, provide all eligible members of the Armed Forces and their dependents with an electronic reminder of the voter registration and absentee ballot process available under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and, as required by Department policy, provide all members of the Armed Forces and their dependents with an electronic or paper copy of the Federal Post Card Application, along with sufficient instruction on completing and returning the application to the appropriate election official; (3) State and local election officials should work with the Federal Voting Assistance Program to develop methods, consistent with privacy and security, for obtaining updated addresses and contact information, if possible, for any member of the Armed Forces or dependent and any citizen living overseas who has been identified by the State or local election official as having an undeliverable ballot address; (4) the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness should report to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and Senate not later than October 15, 2008, on the efforts made by the Department of Defense to-- (A) educate members of the Armed Forces and citizens living overseas on the process of voter registration and absentee voting in the 2008 general election, (B) provide all eligible members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas with the Federal Post Card Application to register to vote and cast absentee ballots in such election, and (C) cooperate effectively with State and local election officials in their efforts to register these individuals and distribute and collect their absentee ballots; (5) States must redouble their efforts to make sure that local jurisdictions collect the mandated information for individuals who are eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and should work in partnership with the Federal Government to develop best practices (including the use of electronic means) for encouraging voting participation among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas; and (6) the Department of Defense, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the Election Assistance Commission, and State governments should examine recommendations made by the Election Assistance Commission in its September 2007 survey findings regarding the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California. General Leave Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I stand with the House leadership in full support of House Concurrent Resolution 388. This resolution insists that the government strengthen its promise under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to assist our military and overseas citizens to vote. House Concurrent Resolution 388 would direct the Federal Voting Assistance Program to provide military personnel and their dependents with electronic reminders about the election process and ensure paper and electronic copies of the Federal Post Card Application are provided. According to a 2006 U.S. Election Assistance Commission Report, 70 percent of uncounted military and overseas ballots were due to incorrect or undeliverable addresses. House Concurrent Resolution 388 would also direct election offices to work with the Federal Voting Assistance Program to update contact information as well as expand outreach efforts to military and overseas voters. I applaud Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Blunt for their leadership in drafting this bipartisan resolution. House Concurrent Resolution 388 reinforces the government's commitment to assisting our military and overseas voters. I urge all Members to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 388, which would express the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program should take additional measures to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents are provided with reasonable information on voting in the 2008 general elections. This bill will also extend information to civilians living abroad for the same purpose. Mr. Speaker, recent data compiled by the Election Assistance Commission found that less than 17 percent of the 6 million citizens eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act chose to participate in the 2006 general election. Of the 48,600 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ballots that were not counted by States and local jurisdictions in the November 2006 elections, 70 percent were not counted due to incorrect or undeliverable addresses. It is simply unacceptable that thousands of the brave men and women who fight for our freedom each day were denied a voice in the electoral process due to incorrectly filling out a ballot. In September 2007, the EAC also found that ``the third largest reason for rejected ballots was that they were received by election offices after the deadline stipulated by State law.'' I have introduced H.R. 5673, the MVP Act, to ensure that military personnel are not left out of the elections process while serving their country overseas. Although my bill has been endorsed by the Vets for Freedom, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars called it ``an important piece of legislation ensuring that the men and women who wear our Nation's uniform are not left out of the election process while serving in harm's way,'' the MVP Act has not yet [[Page 19522]] been brought before the House for consideration. However, I am hopeful that this resolution will create awareness of this issue and lead to more comprehensive reform that will provide a solution to this problem. In addition to meeting ballot deadlines and correctly completing absentee ballots, there is also an issue with military personnel receiving information from the Federal Voting Assistance Program. A survey conducted recently by the Inspector General for the Department of Defense analyzed the effectiveness of the Federal Voting Assistance Program during the 2006 general election and found that only 40 percent of members of the Armed Forces received voting information from the military and only 33 percent were aware of the Federal Post Card Application. We must ensure that the Federal Voting Assistance Program improves their communication efforts and promotes the Federal Post Card Application and the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot so that our service men and women are aware of the resources available to them during an election. This year, perhaps more than any other year in recent memory, our Nation's electorate is excited to cast their ballots for the candidates of their choosing. For those serving their country overseas, and for civilians living abroad, we must do everything in our power to ensure that they have the information necessary to do so. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 388, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was agreed to. The title was amended so as to read: ``Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program should take certain additional and timely measures to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents and citizens living overseas are provided with reasonable information on how to register to vote and vote in the 2008 general elections.''. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________