Speech #920129481

I think this bill belongs in the Judiciary Committee. As a precedent. ever since I came to the Senate. every bill having to do with elections has been sent to the Judiciary Committee except one bill on one occasion. which was referred to the Rules Committee. We have had before us in recent years two voter registration bills. the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the bill to suspend all literacy tests throughout the United States. Both of those came through the Judiciary Committee. There is a provision of law that aliens have to register with the post office. By the same token. they could say. "We have charge of the immigration laws. since aliens have to register with us." And they might also say. "Since the Bureau of the Census takes a farm census. we could also take jurisdiction of all matters committed to the Department of Agriculture." I think this whole procedure is alien to the purposes of the Bureau of the Census and alien to the Post Office Department. But that is beside the point at the present time. I should like to have an opportunity to study the bill.