releases: https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/barbara-lee-blasts-proposed-voter-id-bill
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/barbara-lee-blasts-proposed-voter-id-bill | Barbara Lee Blasts Proposed Voter ID Bill | 2006-09-20 | 2006 | 2006-09 | Democrat | House | CA | Barbara Lee | L000551 | lee.house.gov | legacy | 09.20.06 Barbara Lee Blasts Proposed Voter ID Bill (Washington, DC) Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) spoke in strong opposition to a Republican proposed bill that would require voters to produce proof of citizenship in order to be able to vote. The following is her statement (as delivered): Talk about a cynical, discriminatory, election year ploy. This is unbelievable. This bill as well as this closed rule should be defeated. As a country with one of the lowest percentages of voter participation in the world, we should be doing everything we can to remove the barriers to voting. For example, we should have been debating legislation to fix the real problems with the 2002 and 2004 electionslong voting lines, voter intimidation, faulty machines, poor training for poll workers, discriminatory voter registration laws, or for example making Election Day a federal holiday so that everyone can exercise their right to vote. But instead we are debating a bill that effectively suppresses voter turnout by imposing this new unconstitutional poll tax on all Americans. Have we already forgotten why we just reauthorized the Voting Rights Act a few months ago? Now the Republican leadership is already working overtime to try and undermine it. Yes, we must eliminate voter fraud, but that is certainly not what this bill does. There are real solutions that will enforce our constitutionally guaranteed right to vote, and that will ensure that every vote is cast and counted. That's what we should be voting on. As we supposedly promote democracy throughout the world, we are quickly eroding it right here at home. And this bill is an example of another step in that direction. Let's practice what we preach. Let's defeat this rule and this sham bill and do some things in this body, this session, to ensure that every individual who has the right to vote is allowed that right, so that voting becomes freer and fairer in our country. ### Next Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |