The Senate is debating the McConnell Amendment on Voter IDs

[TayTay]

This is the text of the amendment:

SA 4085. Mr. McCONNELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2611, to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:


At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __X. IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Requirement for Identification Cards to Include Citizenship Information.--Subsection (b) of section 202 of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C. 30301 note) is amended by redesignating paragraphs (8) and (9) as paragraphs (9) and (10), respectively, and by inserting after paragraph (7) the following new paragraph:

``(8) An indication of whether the person is a United States citizen.''.

(b) Identification Required for Voting in Person.--

(1) IN GENERAL.--Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.) is amended by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 and 306, respectively, and by inserting after section 303 the following new section:

``SEC. 304. IDENTIFICATION OF VOTERS AT THE POLLS.

``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding the requirements of section 303(b), each State shall require individuals casting ballots in an election for Federal office in person to present before voting a current valid photo identification which is issued by a governmental entity and which meets the requirements of subsection (b) of section 202 of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C. 30301 note).

``(b) Effective Date.--Each State shall be required to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) on and after May 11, 2008.''.

(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.--Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15511) is amended by striking ``and 303'' and inserting ``303, and 304''.

(c) Funding for Free Photo Identifications.--Subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:



``PART 7--PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

``SEC. 297. PAYMENTS FOR FREE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.

``(a) In General.--In addition to any other payments made under this subtitle, the Election Assistance Commission shall make payments to States to promote the issuance to registered voters of free photo identifications for purposes of meeting the identification requirements of section 304.

``(b) Eligibility.--A State is eligible to receive a grant under this part if it submits to the Commission (at such time and in such form as the Commission may require) an application containing--

``(1) a statement that the State intends to comply with the requirements of section 304; and

``(2) a description of how the State intends to use the payment under this part to provide registered voters with free photo identifications which meet the requirements of such section.

``(c) Use of Funds.--A State receiving a payment under this part shall use the payment only to provide free photo identification cards to registered voters who do not have an identification card that meets the requirements of section 304.

``(d) Allocation of Funds.--

``(1) IN GENERAL.--The amount of the grant made to a State under this part for a year shall be equal to the product of--

``(A) the total amount appropriated for payments under this part for the year under section 298; and

``(B) an amount equal to--

``(i) the voting age population of the State (as reported in the most recent decennial census); divided by

``(ii) the total voting age population of all eligible States which submit an application for payments under this part (as reported in the most recent decennial census).

``SEC. 298. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

``(a) In General.--In addition to any other amounts authorized to be appropriated under this subtitle, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary for the purpose of making payments under section 297.

``(b) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of this section shall remain available until expended.''.

CALL YOUR SENATORS! This type of voting restriction should not be stuck into an immigration bill without extensive hearings and input from the public. Don't let the Senate disenfranchise millions of people.

[MH1]

1. Is this posted in GD and dailykos? this is serious BS here.

I would hope, that if this amendment passes, Kerry and others will vote against the immigration bill WHATEVER else it says. Tacking on this amendment is beyond contemptible.

[TayTay]

2. Just poted on GD

I haven't hit DKos yet. (I don't have time to babysit the thread.)

I know this is not Kerry specific, but it is when you think about it.

Ahm, recommend me.

[MH1]

3. I'm doing one for dailykos now

check in a couple minutes

[MH1]

4. Dailykos diary is up - pls reco and comment

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/24/92753/9497

[TayTay]

5. Gotcha!

And thanks so much for being there for this. I am convinced that this type of thing, along with the purging of the voting rolls is how Rethugs are going to try and control elections in the future. The machine problem will be solved, standards will be applied. The things is this bill are the way that Rethugs plan on deadening the Dem voter rolls for years to come.

This is going to come up again and again. We have to watch these people like hawks.

[whometense]

6. They sure can move fast

when they want to. :eyes:

[Inuca]

7. The vote

was 49-48, so it did not get killed by ONE vote. What does this exactly imply, anyone knows? Is a failed vote to kill the same as a passing? What's the difference? Voting on cloture now.

[TayTay]

8. The vote was to table or kill the amendment

(A fact I missed at first. Thanks to MAss for pointing it out and saving me from further embarrassment.)

The Amendment is now in the pipe to be considered after the cloture vote. It can go forward an be debated for two minutes on the floor and then voted on to see if it becomes a part of the Senate Immigration Bill which will then go to conference committee for reconciliation.

This has to be stopped.

[Inuca]

9. What;s then the purpose

of a "kill" vote? Why vote twice? Why not vote directly on the amendment, pass or fail? Just trying to understand the rules.

[TayTay]

10. DEFEATED: Ruled not germaine to the Immigration Bill

So, it won't come to a vote now.

However, look for it to be re-introduced at some point in the future. This is just the seazy kind of thing the Rethugs love to do.

Thanks to everyone who responded!