Dreier Applauds Passage of Federal Election Integrity Act

September 20, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas,CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted today to approve legislation that enhances the integrity of elections by requiring photo identification to vote by 2008. The Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006, H.R. 4844, was approved, 228-196.

"The requirement of a photo ID to vote is common sense," Dreier said. "A photo ID is needed to get on a plane, buy alcohol, or get into an office building. Yet when it comes time to step into a voting booth, oftentimes you don’t need a thing. If we want our vote to count, we need to count on some much stronger protections than those currently in place. Today, we are taking an important step in upholding the right to vote by ensuring lawful votes are not diluted by unlawful votes."

H.R. 4484 amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and requires that every individual who wishes to vote in the 2008 federal elections to present a photo ID to be allowed to cast a ballot. Effective in the year 2010, voters will be required to provide photo ID that could not have been obtained without proof of citizenship.

Beginning in 2008, voters who arrive at polling stations without the required ID will be given a provisional ballot and 48 hours to present a qualifying ID, and people voting by mail must include a photocopy of a photo ID. States are also required to set up programs to distribute the IDs and must provide them at no cost to indigent voters. The bill authorizes funds to reimburse States for the cost of providing the free ID’s to the indigent.

"I want to make very clear that there are provisions in this bill for every imaginable hardship that could arise from having to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and photo ID when registering to vote," said Dreier. "For the elderly, the poor, people in rural areas - in fact for all Americans, everybody who can legally vote will be able to vote. And with this bill, they can be confident that their vote will not be undermined by illegal votes."

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