Page:Congressional Record 167(4).pdf/80

January 6, 2021 What should not be an unknown are the laws and rules states have on implementing our elections. However, the actions by many state officials and judges, along with improper voting activities, have allowed the 2020 Presidential election to be called into question.

It is because of these questions and irregularities, that I object to today’s certification process and today, our challenge asks for a simple remedy—an appointment of an electoral commission that can hear the claims of election irregularities, review the evidence, and decide as to what the facts are and whether or not election laws were followed. I do not believe that to be an unreasonable demand.

I am proud to represent the state of Tennessee—a state that gets the election process done right and should be a role model for the nation. In addition to our open Election Day procedures, Tennessee provides a generous early voting process of 2 weeks in order for people to choose a day and time convenient to their schedule. In unique circumstances, there are also a number of statutory reasons where a citizen can request a mail-in or absentee ballot by mail and have their votes counted as well.

It is a process that works and is fair and equitable to everyone in the state. It is not unfair, it does not suppress voting, and it provides an orderly, secure method for conducting elections and counting votes in a timely fashion. Everyone has the ability to do their civic duty with a minimum amount of effort—no drama, no long lines and waits, and a process that is free and fair to all candidates. Votes are tabulated, and results are provided in a timely fashion on election night. It’s not complicated, we have done this for many election cycles now, and we did not change our procedures on the fly in 2020.

We are very fortunate to do things the right way in Tennessee and we did once again in 2020. Sadly, there were a few states that got it wrong and call into question the integrity of the Presidential election. It is ridiculous and unacceptable in the 21st Century that other states have processes that lead to a situation where it took weeks to have votes tabulated, vote totals remaining uncertain, and the numbers of uncounted votes being uncertain for days—and weeks—after Election Day.

I respectfully and vigorously disagree with people who suggest that the processes that were opened and expanded in 2020 in many states are not subject to fraud and abuse—under these new standards ballots are mailed on behalf of people, ballots are sent to the wrong addresses, and ballot harvesting is encouraged. And again, one of the biggest problems with mail-in ballots is managing this process in a way that allows votes to be counted and winners to be determined in a timely fashion. It should not take weeks to determine a winner in state and federal races, and the prospects of all future Presidential elections being undecided for weeks on end leads to uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the results and the fairness of the process.

It is absurd. Even if you accept that everything is above board, no one should sit here and say that this process doesn’t stink. Election reform is needed and the mail-in process will always be vulnerable to delays and the suggestion that foul play is involved—especially with the evidence being presented. Widespread mail in balloting with undefined rules and limitations is a solution in search of a problem and is unnecessary to conduct a fair election in this country. We need a defined in-person voting process that includes early voting. We need voter ID requirements. We need a limited mail in ballot process that allows for absentee votes for military personnel serving overseas or away from their homes, people traveling abroad for extended periods, and those that have serious health issues that would legitimately keep them from being able to make it to the polls. Beyond that, people should take a brief moment out of their lives to show up and make an informed vote for the candidates and issues on the ballot.

Since the disputed Presidential election in 2000, this nation has spent billions upon billions of dollars for updated machines and processes, and 20 years later we are arguably in a worse position in terms of having a transparent process. There is no reason—NONE—that we can’t have a procedure in this day and time to have almost all votes accounted for on Election Day.

We cannot keep conducting our elections in a way that does not provide surety and confidence in its results. We need uniform processes for our federal elections, and we need laws in place to ensure that all legal voters are given their constitutionally protected rights to participate in civic engagement, but not through a process in which votes are gathered and harvested without their participation in the process. Tennesseans demand this fair process, and I will always fight for it.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection. People across the United States are rightfully concerned about the mishandling of their votes and irregularities in the 2020 federal election. I share this concern given the incredible irregularities, additionally because the Constitution provides that election laws are the sole jurisdiction of state legislators which must be maintained, and not to be changed by obscure unilateral and judicial abuse with unfounded defiance of state laws. As a nation of laws, violence must never be excused by any one for any reason.

As a former Lexington County Election Commissioner, not just as a Member of Congress, I am disgusted at the irregularities in the 2020 presidential election. The failure to validate signatures, the omission of witnesses, the interruption of counting before completion, the denial of poll watchers for access to fully observe, the extension of ballots received beyond Election Day, and the registration of illegal aliens, allowing non-citizens to vote, are all an open invitation for fraud. I had counted on courts to fully consider lawsuits by 18 states and 126 members of Congress, but the Courts have declined to act.

In four states, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the authority of the state legislatures to enact election rules and procedures, which is delegated by Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution was unlawfully subverted. This is an unconstitutional act.

For these reasons, I will object to certification of the Electoral College.

Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Madam Speaker, first, I want to thank the incredible men and women serving as U.S. Capitol Police for their dedicated efforts to keep everyone safe and to secure our Capitol.

On January 3rd I took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. The lawlessness that broke down our Capitol doors today is a reminder of just how sacred our duty is to uphold the rule of law. I want to extend my thanks to my colleagues who join me in continuing the constitutional duties of Congress and having this debate tonight with civility and without fear.

Tonight is about more than the 2020 presidential election; it is about all future elections, and Congress doing its constitutional duty to ensure election integrity, and not accept electoral votes from states with sufficient evidence of fraud that has not been fully investigated, and whose state legislators did not ensure the law was followed or ensure the integrity of their elections.

This challenge is not uncharted territory or a new exercise, as Democrats have objected on this floor to every recent presidential victory by Republicans, most recently challenging the electoral votes for 10 states following the 2016 presidential election, with their primary justification being the phony Russian collusion charges.

What is unprecedented about this presidential election is first, the number of people who believe the election was stolen, second, the amount of evidence that indicates fraud and other violations of election law that has not been investigated, and third, the number of members who are objecting to some of the electoral votes, a number not seen since 1876—or 144 years.

The 2005 bipartisan commission headed by Jimmy Carter and James Baker warned of this type of widespread voter fraud through illegal aliens voting, not requiring identification verification, and mass voting by mail.

These three issues clearly facilitate the compromise of election integrity.

Yet, there have not been any evidentiary hearings to even consider these allegations of voter fraud.

Georgia is one of the most egregious examples of violations of legal election procedures to the degree that it almost certainly determined the outcome of the election allegedly decided by a mere 12,000 votes.

The legislators in Georgia failed to protect and ensure the integrity of their election.

We, the Congress, are the forum for the voices of the American people. It is our responsibility to evaluate the validity of these electoral votes and to either accept them as legitimately cast or reject them as questionable or unreliable.

It is my judgment that the electoral votes submitted by the state of Georgia are unreliable and therefore should not be accepted.