February 6, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H503 But specifically on this amendment, The ranking member has asked to that curtail early voting and that again I’d like to thank the gentleman speak for the remaining time, so I eliminate same-day registration. Some from Missouri for his work on this. would yield that 1 minute to our rank- of these laws allow for the intimidation This amendment would ensure that the ing member, the gentlewoman from the of voter registration groups. Some General Services Administration ac- District of Columbia (Ms. NORTON). States are imposing strict ID require- counts for the total cost in the design Ms. NORTON. I thank the gentleman ments, creating barriers in getting the or lease of a building. for yielding. required ID and also putting up bar- Very often GSA makes decisions that I support the Carnahan amendment, riers to students who vote where they bind the taxpayer to significant finan- and I just want to indicate what the attend school. cial obligations when procuring space. agreement was with the chairman. Tonight, I am going to be joined by And unfortunately, currently GSA’s In the base bill, we would have a bill several Members, beginning with Con- analyses do not take into account the that Democrats and Republicans would gresswoman SHEILA JACKSON LEE from total life-cycle cost of the taxpayer in- support. What we have here is a bill Texas, to again begin to raise the coun- vestment. This amendment would cor- that somehow Republicans are divided try’s awareness of some of the voting rect this. I support the adoption of this on and that Democrats are expected to restrictions that are being put in place amendment as I’ve supported other somehow carry over the finish line. If, across this country and to let the pub- adoptions tonight. in fact, this bill had come as a base lic know that the Congressional Black Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Will the bill, I think you would have had Demo- Caucus, just as we did last year, will go gentleman yield? crats in larger numbers supporting this across the country to raise awareness Mr. DENHAM. I yield to the gentle- bill. Whatever Republicans wanted to of the need for jobs. We will have job woman from Texas. do with the fact that the base bill did fairs from which we have actually put Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I thank not always conform exactly to what people to work in several cities across the gentleman for yielding. they would have wanted would have this country. We’ve matched people I rise in support of Mr. CARNAHAN’s been made up for on our side. who were out of work with jobs. We’re amendment, and he ran out of time. The CHAIR. The question is on the still waiting for this Congress to pass First of all, I see a lot of comity and amendment offered by the gentleman jobs legislation, the American Jobs collegiality on the floor tonight. I’ve from Missouri (Mr. CARNAHAN). Act, and many of the other pieces of known the gentlelady from the District The amendment was agreed to. legislation that the CBC and other of Columbia for a very long time. Mr. Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I move Members have put forth, but this time CARNAHAN said something that struck that the Committee do now rise. we’re going to go across the country my conscience, and that is that we are The motion was agreed to. and focus on protecting the right of able to master this legislative process Accordingly, the Committee rose; Americans to vote. that allows us to negotiate to the mo- and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. At this time, I would yield such time ment that we might get this on the AMODEI) having assumed the chair, Mr. as she might consume to Congress- floor, which I understand may be to- HEILA ACKSON EE WOODALL, Chair of the Committee of woman S J L of Texas. Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Let me morrow. the Whole House on the state of the I would encourage whatever it is pos- thank Congresswoman CHRISTENSEN for Union, reported that that Committee, sible to do, Mr. DENHAM. I’ve gotten to her leadership as well as thank our having had under consideration the bill know you—whatever is possible for a chairman, EMANUEL CLEAVER. We had (H.R. 1734) to decrease the deficit by re- bill as important as this. You men- the opportunity to host him in Houston aligning, consolidating, selling, dis- tioned the possibility of language, rec- this past weekend, and he raised the posing, and improving the efficiency of onciliation. I cannot speak for the gen- issue of the challenges of voter protec- federal buildings and other civilian tlelady from the District of Columbia, tion. real property, and for other purposes, and I don’t intend to do so. But I do I see that we are joined by our col- had come to no resolution thereon. know her as a person who keeps her league from Ohio. MARCY KAPTUR has word, who loves this Capitol, which she f been a champion on these issues as represents, and has a deep and abiding CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: well, and, frankly, has seen her State concern about the homeless and obvi- VOTER PROTECTION be in the crosshairs of trying to protect ously this issue of the use of property. all citizens’ right to vote. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under I just want to follow up and say the b 2010 the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- Voting Rights Act is an act that dig- I only entreat you to see what is pos- uary 5, 2011, the gentlewoman from the nifies all voters because its premise is sible as you have debated on the floor Virgin Islands (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN) is one person, one vote. The tenets and this evening for Mr. CARNAHAN and my recognized for 60 minutes as the des- the premise of the Voting Rights Act amendment. I would encourage that ignee of the minority leader. as passed: No matter what your back- there be further discussions if you and Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Mr. ground in this Nation, you have an op- the gentlelady can secure that oppor- Speaker. portunity to vote. If we keep with the tunity. I think both would be able to This evening, the Congressional integrity of the Voting Rights Act, the hopefully have dialogue, but I do want Black Caucus is pleased to have a few gist of its message is don’t block indi- to have on record my high esteem and minutes of Special Order time to again viduals from voting. That’s simply respect for her leadership on these come back to the issue of voter protec- what its message is. issues. You are very kind to have yield- tion. This is more than appropriate for ed to me. As we know, many States have either which to rise to the floor today because Mr. DENHAM. In reclaiming my passed laws restricting voter participa- this is the month of the birth of Bar- time, I support the amendment, and tion in elections or are in the process bara Jordan, February 21. Last year look forward to bipartisan support on of doing so. These attacks, as we said was her 75th year, and we’re still com- the bill tomorrow morning. This is last week, have taken many forms. memorating it in Houston. She was, something that taxpayers need. This is They’ve been expanding the ban that again, part mother of the Voting something that will help us to reduce prevents felons from voting, cutting Rights Act by adding language minori- our debt in a way in which Republicans election administration budgets, cur- ties. By doing that, she spread the cov- and Democrats can come together and tailing early voting, and eliminating erage of the Voting Rights Act beyond work on something on a bipartisan same-day registration. the Deep South, which was the original level and actually give something back Just in November, two members of core group of States that was signed to the President that he is asking for. the Congressional Black Caucus, KEITH into law in 1965. I yield back the balance of my time. ELLISON and GWEN MOORE, introduced a So I say thank you to the Honorable The CHAIR. The gentleman from bill, the Voter Access Protection Act, Barbara Jordan, one of our colleagues Missouri has 1 minute remaining. which would protect those rights and and a member of the Congressional Mr. CARNAHAN. I want to thank the restore same-day voter registration. Black Caucus. I stand here today to re- gentleman for his remarks. The bill would reverse both the laws ject any undermining of the legislative VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:16 Feb 07, 2012 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K06FE7.058 H06FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H504 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2012 intent and the coming together of Re- And then I have had seniors in my own Christian Leadership Conference in the publicans and Democrats who voted for district in wheelchairs, where they 1970s and beyond, I would go into that extension at the time she was in went with their family members to the places where people of African Amer- the United States Congress. site where they are to get their voter ican descent were frightened to vote, b 2020 ID, waiting long hours.