The Voter ID Bill did pass in the house, mostly along party lines. The Senate would have to vote for it
in order for it to become law. This is extremely serious.
HR 4844 would require government issued photo id for all voters by 2008, and proof of citizenship to vote in 2010.
This will mostly affect seniors, minorities and poor. Imagine paying to vote. A voter registration card should be all that
a voter needs in order to vote, and they are free - received after the voter registers to vote.
9/20/2006 Pelosi: Voter ID Bill Is an Attempt to Suppress the Votes of Millions of American Citizens
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor this afternoon in opposition to H.R. 4844,
the Republican voter suppression bill. Below are Pelosi's remarks:
Georgia voter photo ID law. Let me repeat: 'This cannot be.' Let these words guide us here,
because right here in this House of Representatives, we take an oath to up hold the Constitution of the United States.
That Constitution guarantees all America citizens the right to vote and the right for their vote to be counted.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/getrelease.asp?id=72849
9/20/2006 4:31:00 PM Hastert Praises Passage of Voter ID Act
The bill passed 228-196.
"Every election cycle we hear stories of voter fraud and stories of non-citizens voting in our elections.
That is why the Voter ID Act is the common sense step towards bringing integrity to our elections.
This bill builds on the REAL ID Act, and it follows the recommendation of the bipartisan Carter-Baker Commission
on Federal Election Reform. The Voter ID Act will require voters to present a photo ID in the 2008 federal elections.
Effective 2010, voters will be required to provide a photo ID that could not have been obtained without proof of U.S. citizenship.
"The foundation of democracy is sealed in the promise of fair voting for the American people.
I am disappointed that Leader Pelosi and 191 Democrats voted against the Voter ID Act and
do not support a fair election process that our nation expects."
http://releases.usnewswire.com/getrelease.asp?id=72850
9/20/2006 The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is extremely troubled by today's vote of 228 to 196 in
the House of Representatives in support of the so-called Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006, HR 4844.
Just weeks after the historic bi-partisan reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, the House of Representatives
decided today to erect an insurmountable road block to millions of eligible minority and traditional disfranchised
voters despite conclusive proof that it is both unnecessary and discriminatory,"
http://releases.usnewswire.com/getrelease.asp?id=72847
The breakdown of the vote is here -
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll459.xml
WHAT DOES HR 4844 DO?
What HR 4844 does is require "government-issued, current and valid photo identification
for which the individual was required to provide proof of United States citizenship as a condition
for the issuance of the identification" -- this is quoting from the text of the bill.
Drivers licenses do not fit this definition because proof of citizenship is not required to obtain a driver's
license (there are three states that DO require proof of citizenship but the majority do not).
The only existing document that fits this definition is a passport. In order to get a passport
you need to obatin your state issued birth certification (not a hopsital version). There are
fees connected to getting your birth certificate. Married women might need to provide copies of their marriage
license to document their name change (another cost and more hassle).
All this just to be given a ballot in order to vote. Not to register to vote but to cast a ballot.
HR 4844 is an add-on to the "Real ID" bill that was tacked on to the Defense Appropriations bill last year.
It is part of a strategic plan to track U.S. citizens in all aspects of their lives.
The Hyde bill has been lurking since April, ready to be sprung in time for election year grandstanding.
THE ONLY WAY THIS BILL WILL BE STOPPED IS IF THE SENATE STOPS IT
IF the government were to give away photo IDs, it still would not pay for the documents needed to GET
that photo id.
It is dangerous to assume that the US Supreme court (John Roberts) will strike down legislation passed by this Congress.
HR 4844 was ramrodded through while legislation to address our failed voting systems (HR 550) -
where fraud can occur virtually undetected on a grand scale - barely gets a hearing at the 11th hour and will go nowhere this session.
Bruce Schneier, an internationally renowned security technologist and author says this about photo IDs :
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