Speech #1090172959

I rise in strong opposition to this socalled Voter ID Act. Sensing electoral defeat in the fall. the Republicans have done what they always doact desperate and deflect attention. Mandating voter IDs to prove citizenship will do nothing to protect our homeland security. make the voting process more secure. insure every vote is counted or keep noncitizens from voting. News flash to my colleagues. the fear that noncitizens may vote is not what is keeping my constituents up at night. Completing the war on terror. finding Osama bin Laden. bringing our troops home. and figuring out how to pay for their kids college education are the issues my constituents care about. Not passing a notneeded bill for a total non issue. Today. we are mandating citizenship IDs at the polling places. in a voter disenfranchisement act that would make Bull Connor smile from below. The Republicans continue to place all the blame on immigrants instead of accepting the blame themselves that they dropped the ball on comprehensive immigration reform. they dropped the ball on homeland security by underfunding our ports and border security and they dropped the ball on the war on terror. There is a problem at the ballot box. but it isnt illegal immigrants voting. The problem is that American citizens arent voting. Instead of promoting voter participation. this bill creates disincentives.