For the People Act of 2019
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Chair, I am proud to offer an amendment today to ensure early registration, or pre-registration, for all 16- and 17- year-olds across the country ahead of their 18th birthday.
To be clear, my amendment does not lower the voting age; it simply allows individuals to pre-register so they are registered and ready to vote when they turn 18.
Today, 14 States, including my home State, the great State of Colorado, as well as the District of Columbia, permit pre-registration beginning at 16 years old. Four States permit pre-registration beginning at 17 years old, and five other States allow for pre- registration a few months ahead of voters' 18th birthday.
States across the Nation are taking up pre-registration to integrate young people in the democratic process early, and I think it is time for us to take up these reforms at the Federal level.
We see young people interacting with the government agencies most frequently when they are 16 and getting their driver's license or learner's permit. This is common sense to allow our young folks to register early when they are already at the Department of Motor Vehicles in their respective State, where voter registration services are typically offered, to ensure that when they turn 18, they have no barriers to casting their ballot on election day.
Madam Chair, the foundation of our democracy is built on the ability of our citizens to vote. We must hold this right precious and sacred, and we must encourage, in my view, our citizens of every age, from every background and every locality and every local party to engage in our political process. Pre-registration helps us do that by investing in our next generation and by encouraging democratic participation from an early age.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague from the other side of the aisle for his thoughtful comments. I would say that I think this amendment is a bipartisan amendment in the sense that it will apply equally to every 16- and 17-year-old across the country, irrespective of their political affiliation.
In Colorado actually, in some months we have had more Republican 16- and 17-year-olds pre-register than Democrat 16- and 17-year-olds. So really what this is all about is just ensuring that young folks in our country are able to integrate into the political process and engage in their civic duties at an earlier age.
From my perspective--I appreciate the gentleman's comments with respect to visiting high schools. I certainly do that quite a bit in my district, to meet with young folks, to talk to them about how to become better citizens and engaged in their community. And often the question I get is, How? And I think this is a great answer.
The ability to say to them that if they go, when they get their driver's license, and pre-register to vote so that, ultimately, when they turn 18 they are automatically registered and ready to participate in our elections; I think that, at the end of the day, it will do a great service to our country and get more young people involved in our political process.
Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), a distinguished colleague and the chair of our Immigration Subcommittee and, of course, the chair of the House Administration Committee. Ms. Lofgren.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Chair, I certainly will take my colleague up on his invitation, and look forward to visiting his district and having him come to Boulder and Fort Collins, where I know there are plenty of 16- and 17-year-olds who are very eager to be able to advocate for other young folks to be able to pre-register in other States, as they have been able to in Colorado, thanks to the incredible election reforms that we have enacted in our State.
I understand that we have a respectful disagreement with respect to the merits of the underlying bill, but I would hope that, on this particular amendment that is not particularly controversial and that, as I said, is really a nonpartisan approach to just getting young folks of all political affiliations involved in our political process.
I would hope and trust that colleagues in both parties here in this Chamber would think about this amendment thoughtfully, and I would certainly urge them to support it.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, we know this bill is not going to be signed into law. I look forward to working with the gentleman on other amendments that we might be able to come up with some good plans to engage our 16- and 17-year-olds, engage the next generation of leaders.
I hope maybe a visit that we can do together could inspire somebody to do what we do one day, and that would be that we would manage to call ourselves successful in legislating to inspire the next generation.
This bill, H.R. 1, is not going to inspire the next generation. I appreciate Mr. Neguse; I appreciate his willingness to serve.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source