National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009

Floor Speech

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 -- (Senate - September 10, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I hope that after hearing the subject matter of this amendment, the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee will agree with me that the subject matter is of overwhelming importance.

This has to do with the fact that in 2006--2006--it is estimated that only 5.5 percent of qualified military voters deployed overseas, as well as civilians eligible to vote in the 2006 election, only 5.5 percent actually had their votes counted.

Of the troops that attempted to vote by asking for their ballots in 2006, less than half, only 47.6 percent of their completed ballots actually arrived back at the local election office and were counted. That is according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

I know all our colleagues would agree that if there is anyone who deserves to have their vote counted, and certainly this is a fundamental civil right for all American citizens, but if anyone is entitled to the best efforts that this body could possibly supply to make sure their vote is actually counted, that it would be our men and women in harm's way, fighting to protect our very freedoms.

To me, this is an outrage of such proportion that I cannot believe the Department of Defense, knowing these statistics, is simply complacent about preserving and protecting the right of our deployed military and civilians overseas to vote in elections.

To me, this is an appalling feature of our absentee voting system, and we need to take action right now. Of course, the appropriate vehicle as we are talking about protecting the right of military voters is on the Defense authorization bill. We know time is running out, only 54 days, I believe, until the next general election. We need to do everything in our power to make sure their right to vote is protected.

That is why I decided to introduce a bill last May called the Military Voting Protection Act of 2008. Currently, I believe I have, to the stand-alone bill, 30 cosponsors.

I believe the Department of Defense, if it is unwilling to take the necessary steps to protect the rights to vote for our deployed troops, then it is up to us to direct them to do so, to mandate that requirement in law and to make it a priority, not something they get around to perhaps after they have done everything else.

Certainly, the Department of Defense can better use modern technology to protect the ability of our troops to participate in elections. We know it is also important to recognize the right of privacy and the integrity of the voting system by calling upon the Department of Defense to focus its efforts on secure, efficient systems that would achieve these important goals.

I have more extended remarks, but I do not feel they are necessary at this time. I have seen a letter from the Department of Defense about some of their responses to the bill I have introduced. I would say in each case it is classified more as bureaucratic gobbledygook and not a serious effort to try to solve this problem.

I am actually very disappointed that the Department of Defense would take the position that preserving the votes of our deployed military is so unimportant that they would not welcome the participation of the Senate in finding ways to make sure every fighting man and woman's vote is counted.

I ask unanimous consent to call up amendment 5329 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to object, I am constrained and will object at this time because of the reasons I gave before. So I do object. I hope this objection can be dealt with overnight. I hope I can hear from the Rules Committee and understand what their position is. But at least at this time I will object.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I am sorry to hear the chairman has objected. Of course, there is no requirement that the committee pass on these matters. I understand his interest in getting their input, but I cannot imagine what sort of input the Rules Committee might give now or later that we could not work on this either as this bill proceeds to completion, I hope to completion this week or next or during the conference committee process.

But to object to my ability to actually get it pending before the Senate is regrettable. At this point, I have no other recourse.

I yield the floor.

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