Ranking Member Morelle Opening Remarks at Full Committee Markup

 Washington, D.C. – Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) delivered the following opening remarks at a full committee markup:

Watch video here.

"Thank you, Mr. Chair, and first and most importantly, let me join with you in wishing our friend and colleague Dr. Murphy, a full and speedy recovery and we're keeping him very much and his family very much in our prayers. So the best to him.

 “As it relates to the hearing that we held last week, which in my view was not only a waste of this committee's time, but a waste of the taxpayer resources that this committee has expended to disseminate the disproven lies to actively undermine American faith in our democracy.

“And I appreciate my colleague who talks about confidence in American elections and the importance of Americans having confidence.

“Unfortunately, everything this committee has sought to do, everything the former President seeks to do is undermine that very faith.

“I know that every one of my majority colleagues understands that this narrative will aggravate the perilous infection of election denialism that is spreading in the American civic body and the rest of us know it too.

“Just a point about last week's hearing the Associated Press and an article that ran in the Wisconsin State Journal this past Tuesday said, and I quote, ‘Republicans who have been vocal about voting by those who are not citizens have demurred when asked for evidence that it's a problem.’

“USA Today one of the largest circulations in the country, so, many Americans are reading.

“USA Today said that the SAVE Act is the same, ‘rigged election disinformation that Trump has been hawking for almost eight years.’

“The Washington Post said that Republicans ‘feel compelled to construct a boogeyman to tow Trump's line on combating voter fraud even as they freely acknowledge they can't say what the boogeyman is made of.’

“The deluge of articles published in the last two weeks alone shows what a transparent game people are playing.

“The American people see through this as well.

“Election denialism was unpopular in 2020.

“It was equally unpopular, if not more so in 2022.

“It will be unpopular this November.

“Just as the Speaker's trip paying homage at Mar-a-Lago tarnished our American tradition of democracy; just as the Speaker's conspiracy fueled press conference on the steps of this Capitol fan the flames of extremism and; just as our hearing energized efforts to undermine American confidence in elections.

“This markup today is the latest blemish on the majority's anti-democracy quest.

“We've been here before, former President Trump is leading this party – in strikingly leading this very committee down a terribly dangerous and un-American path.

“This is a man who yearns for according to his own campaign materials, a ‘unified Reich’ in this country.

“This is the man you have chained your electoral prospects – to say nothing of your moral leadership and historic legacies – to.

“Aren't you embarrassed?

“I, for one, am embarrassed for you.

“Today's markup of the SAVE Act is a repugnant use of our time.

“Committee Democrats have grave concerns about each of the bills and we will offer several amendments in an effort to make these bills better – or at the very least, to offer Americans an alternative vision of democracy.

“One based in fairness, in justice, not based on fear, cynicism, and doubt.

“Our vision of democracy is based on the Constitution that has moved ever forward from our founding – expanding its wings of equality and enfranchisement to formerly enslaved people, to women, to Native people, to young people.

“That's the story of this nation – one of a democracy that grows more inclusive, that ensures that the voices of every American can be heard by those of us who have been entrusted to walk the halls of Congress.

“The SAVE Act is the opposite of that. It is contrary to the American story that has been told for 247 years – and God willing will be told for countless years to come.

“This is the fundamental difference between our parties today and the Democrats on this committee will not stop fighting for the rule of law, for the peaceful transfer of power, and for the very survival of this republic.

“And what Committee Democrats won't do is subvert American faith in elections in an effort to supplicate to a proven conman.

“We'll leave that to our Republican colleagues.

“With that, I yield back.”

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