Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

The bill under consideration is an attempt to protect our elections from foreign interference. That is a goal that I certainly share, and I think all of us share.

In fact, I tried to offer an amendment to the bill that would have closed a gaping hole in the security of our election system. It is a weakness that basically rolls out the red carpet to foreign interference. Unfortunately, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle blocked my amendment.

My proposal would have prohibited the practice known as ballot harvesting, which is something that is only legal in a few states, where literally anyone can collect absentee ballots. In California where ballot harvesting is legal, anyone, including paid campaign workers and foreign nationals, are allowed to collect an unlimited number of ballots.

California Democrats have refused to put any guard rails on ballot collection, leaving it wide open to fraud and abuse by both foreign and domestic bad actors.

Every time I voice my concern about ballot harvesting, my friends on the other side of the aisle and the media keep asking for evidence of abuse.

Mr. Chairman, the reason there is no evidence of ballot harvesting fraud is because California Democrats have designed a system that doesn't collect evidence. If you collect ballots in California, you aren't required to give your name to the voter whose ballot you are collecting, and when you turn in that ballot to election officials, you are not required to give your name at that point either. There is no requirement to document the chain of custody of ballots. And there is nothing in the State law prohibiting foreign nationals from collecting and handling ballots. Let me repeat that. There is nothing in California law prohibiting foreign nationals from collecting and handling ballots.

You know, in reality, the only rule is there are no rules. Mr. Chairman, this isn't the Wild West. We shouldn't wait for fraud and abuse to occur before we act. By rejecting my amendment, Democrats have not only left a door open to foreign involvement in our elections, they have laid out the welcome mat.

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