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McCollum Statement on House GOP Vote to Fund Trump’s Sham "Election Integrity Commission"

July 13, 2017

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after House Republicans on the committee defeated her amendment to defund President Donald Trump's sham "election integrity commission":

"This commission exists to justify President Trump's conspiracy theories and to advance a partisan agenda that will make it harder for some Americans to vote. I am deeply disappointed that House Republicans continue to cover for President Trump and support wasting taxpayer dollars on his sham commission.

"We should be strengthening our democracy by making it easier for our citizens to register and cast ballots. Today's vote shows that President Trump and Republicans want to take us in the other direction. As Americans, we must stay vigilant to defend voting rights and encourage universal voter participation."

The McCollum amendment would have barred the use of any federal funds for the so-called Presidential Commission on Election Integrity. The amendment was defeated on a 22-30 party-line vote.

The commission was established after President Trump repeatedly peddled outrageous claims that about illegal voting during the 2016 presidential election. These claims have been roundly rejected by election officials and experts of both parties. Chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, the commission includes Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the architect of some of the nation's harshest anti-voting rights legislation. Since 2010, Republicans like Vice President Pence and Secretary Kobach have championed legislation to impose onerous voter ID requirements, make it harder for citizens to register, and limit access to early voting.

In one of its first official acts, the commission requested sensitive personal information about all American voters. A bipartisan coalition of Secretaries of State and chief election officers soundly rejected the commission's request, which has also been challenged in federal court.