WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, praised the Senate today for supporting the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act), which would make it easier for U.S. troops and other Americans living overseas to cast their ballots in future elections. The Senate passed the legislation as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Defense (DoD) Authorization Bill.

“This bill will help our military personnel exercise their right to vote,” said Bennett. “Our troops make tremendous sacrifices for our country and as they continue to defend our rights, we need to make sure they are able to exercise their rights.”

The MOVE Act would require states to send ballots to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election, to give these voters sufficient time to receive and return them in time to be counted. It would also require states to adopt electronic transmission methods to hasten ballot delivery.

The legislation comes in response to a hearing in May where testimony revealed that thousands of military and overseas ballots fail to be counted because they are not delivered or returned in time. The legislation includes several Bennett amendments that were adopted by the Rules Committee to clarify state and local administrative responsibilities, to require security and privacy protections, and to eliminate existing requirements that inflate the number of unreturned ballots.

“The collegial and bi-partisan fashion in which this legislation has been handled demonstrates how much can be accomplished when we work together toward a common goal,” added Bennett. “I want to thank Senators Schumer, Chambliss, Nelson and Cornyn for working so hard on this legislation and bringing this important issue before the Senate.”

The Senate voted unanimously today to include the MOVE Act as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Authorization bill being debated this week on the Senate Floor.

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