Ranking Member Morelle Led Committee Dems in Daylong Fight Against Republicans’ Election Takeover Attempts
Committee Dems’ Legislation Offered in Rules Committee to Address Real Demands Like Congressional Stock Ban Rejected by House Republicans
WASHINGTON – Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, led Committee Democrats in the fight against Republicans’ election takeover attempts as House Republicans held hearings on legislation that would suppress and silence voters with the Committees on House Administration and Rules.
Ranking Member Morelle emphasized in his opening remarks before the Committee on House Administration that the attempt to takeover our elections ahead of the midterm elections this year is because “President Trump has done nothing to make the lives of Americans better—nothing to make things less expensive, nothing to make us safer.”
“Because of these failures, Republicans know they have one hope at winning the next election: changing the rules of the game, destroying the rule of law, and deserting any last remaining shreds of allegiance to the United States Constitution. Redrawing congressional lines. Changing the rules of elections. Brutalizing American citizens who exercise their rights under our Constitution,” said Ranking Member Morelle.
During his line of questioning, Ranking Member Morelle asked his expert witness, Ms. Karen Brinson Bell, if states would have enough time to comply with these new restrictions and policies before the midterms.
Rep. Terri A. Sewell, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Elections, emphasized during the hearing that the restrictive measures implemented in Wyoming was not in response to rampant voter fraud, but rather is a solution in search of a problem – similar to the Republicans’ election takeover bills.
Rep. Norma J. Torres highlighted during her questioning how this Administration is trying to blocking millions of Americans from voting and how concerning the FBI raid conducted at an election center in Fulton County, GA is for our elections.
Rep. Julie Johnson stressed how the Republicans’ election takeover bills seek to enact will create administrative hurdles that will keep citizens from voting, which is the opposite of what we should be doing as a nation.
Later in the day, Ranking Member Morelle testified before the Rules Committee to make clear that the legislation House Republicans are rushing to the floor is “riddled with mistakes,” “filled with embarrassing flaws,” and “not ready for prime time.”
All Committee Democrats submitted amendments that would solve problems and address what the American people are demanding from Congress, like Ranking Member Morelle’s amendment to enact a real congressional stock ban. Rep. Morelle also offered an amendment that would push for consideration of the Freedom to Vote Act, a bill that would support eligible American voters and expand access to the ballot box as they exercise their right to vote.
The following amendments listed below were offered by Committee Democrats to fix the Republicans’ election take over legislation that would imposes unreasonable costs and burdens millions of Americans, especially women, military families, and rural voters.
Rep. Sewell offered amendments that would have:
- expanded the list of acceptable voter ID to decrease the cost burden created in the Republicans’ bill;
- improved the voter purge prevention provisions to prioritize access; and
- protected election officials who are removed from their role for partisan or political reasons.
Rep. Torres offered an amendment that would have removed the provisions that creating overly burdensome ID requirements for mail ballots.
Rep. Johnson offered amendments that would have:
- allowed online voter registration;
- provided an expedited hearing process for citizens not permitted to register;
- allowed for expired passports to verify identification and limit the cost burden created by the Republicans’ bill; and
- allowed for judicial relief for citizens who were turned away or otherwise prohibited from casting a lawful ballot.
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The Committee on House Administration’s jurisdiction includes federal elections, House operations, Capitol Complex security, the Smithsonian Institution, and Legislative Branch agencies such as the Library of Congress and Government Publishing Office.