On Thursday, April 14th, at 10:30am, the Elections Subcommittee of the Committee on House Administration will hold a hearing on H.R. 672, proposed legislation to abolish the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, one of the main architects of the Help America Vote Act which created the EAC, is scheduled to testify about the ongoing importance of the EAC.
“The EAC arose out of the fiasco we witnessed during the 2000 federal election,” said Subcommittee Ranking Member Robert A. Brady. “The legislation currently being considered to terminate the EAC has been developed with minimal stakeholder involvement and with no real foundation in the historical context within which the agency was founded. I look forward to Mr. Hoyer’s expert testimony on why the support and resources of the EAC are more important than ever,” Brady added.
“We all agree that we have a responsibility to preserve taxpayer resources and to find ways to make government function more effectively,” said Brady. “But by eliminating resources and support to the state and local elections officials that serve as the front line of our voting infrastructure, we potentially undermine this cornerstone of our representative Democracy.
The EAC is by no means perfect. But I believe that our efforts should be focused on improving the agency and enhancing its capabilities, rather than eliminating it and relegating its important functions to second tier status within other agencies that have voiced concern over their ability to execute them. I will be introducing legislation designed to overhaul the EAC and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, during its consideration.”