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Guest Commentary: July 24, 2001
Election Reform Delayed is Election Reform Denied
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
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The subject of election reform has been talked about and discussed a great deal during the past 6 or 7 months. In fact, there have already been more than 60 hearings this year in Washington and in the States.
I appreciate the attention that has been paid to this important issue, and commend my colleague on the Senate Rules Committee, Chairman [Christopher] Dodd, for his attention to this issue.
I think we can all agree that America needs, wants, and demands action on election reform.
The Senate is in a strong position to act on this issue of tremendous national importance, and in a refreshingly bipartisan manner. On election reform, Republicans and Democrats agree on far more than we disagree.
In fact, 90 senators agree that we need meaningful election reform.
Ninety Senators are cosponsoring either the bipartisan McConnell-Schumer-Torricelli election reform bill leading the election reform pact with 70 Senators on board -- 38 Republicans, 31 Democrats, and one Independent; the Democrats-only Dodd bill which has all Democrats and one Independent as cosponsors but no Republicans; or the McCain bill -- which has 2 cosponsors.
That means 90 Senators are cosponsoring legislation authorizing federal funding to assist the 50 States in improving their election systems. The McConnell-Schumer-Torricelli bill, the Dodd bill, and the McCain bill all have funding in them for election reform. Federal funding is the common denominator which brings the Senate together on this critical issue and makes election reform possible for the American people.
But no money has yet been appropriated for election reform. No election reform money at all -- not one thin dime -- is yet in any appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002.
I think we can all agree that is unacceptable. We must have election reform money appropriated for fiscal year 2002. Otherwise, any authorization which is passed later this fall will be all-show and no-go, until subsequent appropriations are enacted.
If we do not appropriate election reform money in this round of appropriations -- for fiscal year 2002 -- then election reform will be delayed. Election reform would either be postponed until fiscal year 2003, or be contingent upon an emergency supplemental appropriations bill at some point.
Election reform delayed is election reform denied.
Note: This column has been adapted from a speech Sen. McConnell delivered on the floor of the Senate, July 23, 2001.
 How to contact Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)
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