Page:Congressional Record 167(4).pdf/83

 Voter identification for provisional ballots must be verified, with information provided by the voter, prior to that ballot being counted.

CONGRATULATING BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONER DEB GARDNER ON HER RETIREMENT

HON. JOE NEGUSE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, today I wish to recognize Ms. Deb Gardner, who has served the people of Boulder County for over a decade, and since 2012, has tirelessly devoted herself to serving her community as a Boulder County Commissioner. Over the past eight years, Deb has worked hard to make Boulder County a better place. In light of Deb’s retirement, I want to take the opportunity to commend her distinguished career in public service.

Deb has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Her work in Boulder is a reflection of her passion for equity, education, and the environment. A truly indispensable community member, she has fought to maintain Boulder County’s natural beauty and ensure that everyone feels welcome in the community.

Prior to becoming a County Commissioner, she represented Colorado’s 11th district, and the people of Boulder County, in the Colorado State Legislature as a State Representative, where she served on the House Transportation, Legislative Audit, Business and Economic Development, and Health Benefit Exchange Review committees. She has helped her community through countless disasters, including the 2013 flooding, historic wildfires, and the immense challenges posed by the COVID–19 pandemic this year, and I am grateful for her leadership.

For the entirety of her career, Deb has led by example and inspired countless others along the way. I am grateful for her distinguished record of service, and I thank Commissioner Gardner for her service to her community. I wish her a restful and well-deserved retirement.

OBJECTING TO CERTAIN ELECTORAL VOTES

HON. RANDY K. WEBER, SR. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 Mr. WEBER of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my concerns regarding the irregularities and improprieties in the 2020 General Election. As I have said time and time again, the American people deserve to have full faith in our elections. The numerous votes cast by mail this year—due to the pandemic—have been plagued by allegations of fraud and wrongdoing. I watched with great concern as President Trump’s legal team brought forth witnesses, sworn affidavits, and reams of legitimate evidence to courts in various states. There are countless, incontestable examples wherein governors, election officials, and judges altered states’ election procedures in clear violation of Article II of the U.S. Constitution. Article II grants state legislatures—and only the state legislatures—the explicit power to determine the manner of appointing presidential electors.

In keeping with this constitutional responsibility, state legislatures have established detailed rules by which that state’s electoral process and appointment of presidential electors should be conducted. However, in the months before the 2020 election, it is undeniable that—in several key states—either state court judges or state executive officials acted deliberately to fundamentally change state election law, usurping the state legislature’s express authority under the Constitution.

In violation of the Constitution and with full knowledge of mail-in voting vulnerabilities, state officials, activists, and Democrat-led lawsuits in numerous states opened our electoral processes to fraud and abuse. The sheer volume of mail-in voting alone triggered not just administrative errors and clerical mistakes but actual election crimes.

As an alumnus of the Texas House of Representatives, I understand and guard zealously the prerogatives of state legislatures. As such, I feel strongly that the Supreme Court should have upheld the authority of those legislatures to establish the manner of appointing electors. Moreover, it was incumbent upon the court to determine the constitutional validity of any ballots that were cast under rules and procedures established by entities other than state legislatures.

Put bluntly, the usurpation of legislative power in several states produced unconstitutional ballots. As we asserted in our amicus brief that accompanied the Texas case, any state executive or judicial attempt to determine the manner of choosing electors-— [sic]especially any attempt that directly contradicts the will of the state legislature—is void ab initio (“from the beginning”).

Regrettably, on December 11th, SCOTUS denied Texas’ motion for lack of standing, without ruling on the merits of the case or the questions of fact therein. However, Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, disagreed with the high court’s ruling, writing that, “In my view, we do not have discretion to deny the filing of a bill of complaint in a case that falls within our original jurisdiction… I would therefore grant the motion to file the bill of complaint…” I, too, believe that the Supreme Court got it wrong. That highest court has original jurisdiction over, specifically, suits involving two or more states.

Today, we the Congress—on behalf of “We Thethe [sic] People”—will exercise our constitutional duty as the final judge, jury, and arbiter of all contested congressional, senatorial, and presidential elections. The legitimacy of our republic rests on the foundation that our elections—whether for President of the United States or any other office—are transparent, fairly administered, and above board. With the undeniable knowledge of illegal changes to various state election laws, enacted by parties other than the respective state legislatures, we (the Congress) constitute the last line of defense in ensuring the trust of our citizens in the integrity of their ballots.

Every single member of Congress swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. Our constitutional republic has endured for nearly- [sic]two and a half centuries based on the consent of the governed. That consent is grounded in the confidence of our people in the legitimacy of our institutions of government, the most fundamental being free and fair elections. The erosion of that foundation jeopardizes the stability of the republic.

I will therefore join my colleagues today in objecting to counting the electoral votes of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, to restore the integrity of our electoral process.

CITIZEN’S COMMITTEE FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY’S FINDINGS ON FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 6, 2021 Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, election law and regulations must be developed and administered at the state and local level. To that end, I believe criteria and engagement from all Idahoans must be included in this debate and want to enter the Committee’s recommendations into Congress’ current debate on free and fair elections. The Citizen’s Committee for Election Integrity’s findings and recommendations:

All political power rests with the people.

Our Constitutionally guaranteed Republican form of government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to select our representatives and leaders.

To ensure equal protection and equal representation of the people, laws governing our elections must meet certain minimum standards.

It is the purpose of this Citizens Committee to concisely articulate the minimum standards for free, fair, and honest elections. These standards shall then be used by our local, state and federal legislators as a metric for reviewing and revising election law to ensure free, fair, and honest elections where the outcome is accepted by all citizens of good will.

Minimum Standards for Fair and Honest Elections

Our Constitutionally guaranteed republican form of government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to select our representatives and leaders. The standards listed here shall be used by our local, state and federal legislators as a metric for reviewing and revising election law to ensure free, fair, and honest elections where the outcome is accepted by all citizens of good will.

All voting processes, other than those needed to preserve the privacy of a citizen’s vote, must be open and available for direct observation, with no minimum distance requirements, and audit by agents of the candidates or parties.

All election materials must have a secure chain of custody at all times. Election officials must be accompanied by observers when accessing any election materials. Records of the chain of custody shall be complete and available for audit.

All votes, regardless of voting method, shall be held to equal standards.

Voters shall only be qualified electors that are able to verifiably provide their government issued photo identity before being issued a ballot. Voters who provide false information, including information of voter qualification, should face severe penalties.

As a condition of being issued a ballot, the voter’s identity and signature must be recorded in a permanent record (Poll Book).