Advocacy

National Voter, Oct, 2008

LWVUS President Mary Wilson, the LWVUS Advocacy staff and the Lobby Corps have been working on the priorities set by the LWVUS Board for 2008.

With the Presidential campaigns in full swing the League has taken important action in the area of campaign finance reform. The League has been in constant contact with Senators McCain and Obama in an effort to urge both campaigns to disclose fundraising practices. In mid-July, President Mary Wilson wrote a letter to The New York Times, urging Senators Obama and McCain to fully disclose information on fundraisers who bundle money for their campaigns.

In the area of voter registration, the League and other groups called on Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake to reverse a decision not to allow voter registration at VA facilities. Letters were also sent to each state's chief election official. In addition, President Mary Wilson was interviewed on this subject by Gannett News Service, XM Radio and others.

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On voting rights, the League urged the Supreme Court to protect minority voters' rights. In an amicus brief, the LWVUS asked the Supreme Court to protect fair voting districts by holding that the Voting Rights Act does not require a minority community's size to meet a rigid numerical quota.

On election administration, the League continued to register concerns with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), particularly with regard to opposing a proposal by a Commissioner to withdraw maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). This proposal would undermine election administration efforts of county and local governments. The League also voiced concern that the Commission provided very short public notice of the hearing on withdrawing MOE requirements. In mid-July, President Mary Wilson wrote a letter to Rosemary Rodriguez, Election Assistance Commission chair, commenting on the Commission's proposed new procedures for public notice and comment on EAC actions.

League efforts took a hit in the area of civil liberties when Congress passed and the President signed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. This legislation unreasonably and unnecessarily authorizes broad surveillance of Americans' international communications without meaningful Fourth Amendment protections. The law also affords blanket immunity to companies that aided the government in conducting warrantless electronic surveillance. The League issued an action alert previous to the bill's passing as well as sent a letter to Senators urging them to vote "no" on this legislation. The League and civil rights partners sent a letter to Congress in support of disabilities legislation, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), which will secure the promise of the original Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) by ensuring coverage for those individuals intended by Congress to be covered by the ADA. We urged Members to vote in favor of final passage of H.R. 3195 and against all amendments.

There was considerable action on Capitol Hill on global climate change and the LWVUS Lobby Corps visited Senators and continued to urge them to strengthen and support S. 2191, America's Climate Security Act, sponsored by Senators Joe Lieberman (ICT) and John Warner (R VA) and reported by the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The League activated the Grassroots Lobby Corps with an action alert. Unfortunately, in early June the legislation failed in the Senate. The bill would have taken a major step forward in the fight against harmful climate change. In August, the League called for a ten-year moratorium on new construction of coal-fired electric power plants (see Hill Bulletin for more).

The League is staying on top of lobbying and ethics reform legislation, particularly regarding House and Senate ethics committees. The League voiced concerns about a House ethics rule designed to prevent lobbyists and lobbying organizations from paying for lavish parties for Representatives at national conventions. The League urged Members of Congress to follow the spirit of the rule. The League also voiced serious concerns to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DCA) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R OH) about Representative AI Wynn's (D MD) acceptance of a lobbying job and his decision to remain in office for a period of time after accepting the job. The League was concerned about this decision because it calls into question whether or not disclosure and recusal rules provide the public with adequate and timely information.

In the health care arena, the League and other concerned organizations sent a letter in mid-July to Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt regarding draft regulations that could significantly limit women's access to basic reproductive health services.

In tax policy news, the League urged both House and Senate members to extend clean energy tax incentives which are set to expire by the end of 2008. The delay is already discouraging investment decisions for projects that will be completed in 2009 or later. Failure to extend the incentives places in jeopardy 116,000 jobs in the wind and solar industries.