I somehow determined the to makingeneral was clear to the American People that we were not going back. What did he do . Within minutes, the attorney general was on every Television Network making clear his intention to ship resources to one of the most important remaining provisions of the Voting Rights act, section two. Thatcommitment to this was more than just a policy statement whether it is filing section two challenges in quite some time. For the attorney general, permit protecting the right to vote was never a backwards exercise. He understood that our system of voting needed a 21stcentury update that in a country like ours that invented iphone and facebook, we cannot justify five vote org lines to people who were confused after a move. He understood that politicians should not be picking voters. State legislators and officials cannot come out with more ways to for a franchise. He called for a modern update to our system. And being deceptive practices and redistricting and automatic Voter Registration. Preempt hisg to remarks but one thing i always appreciated about his calls in this area was ability to use modern advances to reform our system while also pushing back on the common excuse to do nothing which is the specter of voter fraud and no one is better to do that than a former prosecutor. We are delighted to have him with us today. We could not have invited a better speaker so with that, it District Attorney general. [applause] eric holder it is a pleasure to be here. I was little worried. That introduction couldve gone any number of ways but thank you so much for those kind words. Today i would like to discuss with you an issue that i believe threatens the integrity of this nation and really puts in peril the future of our country. 50 years after the passage of the most significant civil rights legislation in our history, the Voting Rights act of 1965. The most basic of american rights. The right to vote is under siege. As he said when he signed it, the right to vote is the basic of which all others are meaningless. At the time when we should be expanding opportunities there is a movement in america that attempts to make it more difficult that it by a factually inaccurate and disconnected Supreme Court decision that unfortunately bares my name and that this is me off. [laughter] just say shelby county. Make like it doesnt exist. I, when irland and hope he is confirmed we will set some kind of president here. We will change the name. Is one of my requirements for his confirmation. To many in this country are trying to make it too difficult. Let me start with the basic statement which everyone can agree. Person attempting to vote should have to show that he or she is who they claim to be. Too many today forget that this has always been the case and in the past our fellow citizens were able to demonstrate that and many credible ways. There has always been a component of identifying yourself before you can cast the ballot. It is only very recently that in some states they have become overly prescriptive and enumerating what is sufficient proof. This more restrictive approach has been mandated. He question is why the usual justification is to no voter fraud. Given the nature of it, the new totrictions must be designed prevent in person false identification voting. There is no physical proof that there is an issue of which nation should be concerned so often it is said is said almost robotically. People have begun to believe that it is real. Studies have shown that the actual instances of in person iner fraud is extremely rare this is very logical. The penalties associated with motor fraud far outweigh the impact. To truly impact an election we would require substantial numbers of people so far holding themselves out as voters that they are not which would increase almost financially. The Brennan Center has stated that it is more likely that in individual will be struck by lightning than that he will impersonate another person at the polls. I think you should used a powerball analogy there but struck by lightning gives you a sense of how rare this is. Found 31 cases out of one billion votes cast in the United States. 31 out of one billion over 14 years. People only have to ask where is the problem . There is not a consequential one. Instead of ensuring the integrity of the voting process, they actually do the opposite by keeping certain people away from the polls. Factbaseds not a problem. What could be the basis . Sadly, one party has decided to latch itself to shortterm political expediency and put itself on the wrong side of history. Itsory will be harsh and acceptance of this effort. Article, it 2007 stated that among republicans it is an article of religious faith that it is causing us to lose elections. He says he does not agree with that but he believes and could causeoto ids a drop off in democratic voting. In pennsylvania and the last president ial election, the republican state House Majority listed a few issues that would help mitt romney carry the state. Abortion,ing guns and they listed voter fraud. Remember, under the texas state Law University id was found not to be adequate proof. Finally, in wisconsin last year a state senator resigned after they were giddy over the effects of state voter id laws on minorities and college students. Lets be frank. Faced with democratic demographic changes that they , somego against them republicans have decided that if you cant beat them, change the rules. Difficult for individuals who may not support republican candidates vote. Not even winning vivid majority of votes but it can be affected. It decreases the votes of young people, minorities and the poor. Conducted by the university of california san concluded that these disproportionally affected democratic voters. Studies found that turnout dropped where voter id laws were in place. By 10 . Ecreased to find whato try vote fraud is, that is voter fraud. Lawsations attentions and should not be focused on these illegal voters. At the 75 million adult citizens you did not vote, 60 million were not registered and therefore were not eligible to cast a ballot. This is where we should focus our efforts. In 2011 at theve lbj library, i called for automatic registration of all eligible citizens. And i believe the arguments there are still sound. It is not privilege. Under our current system, many voters must follow some cumbersome registration rules. State and local officials have to process a crash of new registrations. It leaves the system riddled with errors and creating chaos at the polls. One in eight Voter Registrations in the United States is invalid or significantly inaccurate. Modern Technology Provides a straightforward fix for these thelems if we have political will to bring our election system into the 21st century. Government can and should automatically register citizens to vote by compiling from existing databases a list of all eligible residents. Several states have taken steps in that direction. Oregon implemented an automatic registration facility in january. Folds seen a four increase. They have passed similar laws and other states are leaning in that direction. It is estimated and implemented at dmvs. These could add 50 million eligible voters to the rolls, save money and increase accuracy and the records. We must americans lose every year the move every year the voter , registration does not lose with them. Move with them. Many would be, although they dont realize this which can follow full month or more before election day. I believe if we work together, we can establish a program on a permanent portable registration so the voters can vote at the new polling place on election day. Until that happens i think we we should implement failsafe procedures to correct voter roll errors and emissions by allowing every voter to cast a regular, non provisional ballot on election day. Now, several states have taken the step shown to increase turnout by 35 percentage points. These modernization efforts were not only improve the integrity of elections, but also to save precious taxpayer dollars. Now, despite benefits there will always be those who say that easing registration hurdles and election dayday processes will only lead to voter fraud. Well, let me be clear. Voter fraud is not acceptable. And it should not be tolerated. As i learned in my career as a prosecutor with the Justice DepartmentPublic Integrity section, where i actually investigated and prosecuted real voting fraud cases making voter and votingion easier, is not simply making elections more susceptible to fraud. Indeed, those are all sides of this debate that have essentially acknowledged in person voting fraud is uncommon. We must recognize our ability to ensure the strength and integrity of our election systems and to advance the reforms necessary to achieve this depends on whether the , American People are informed, demand, and willing to factbased contentions and Commonsense Solutions and regulations that make voting more accessible. Now, politicians may not readily and willingly change the systems which they were elected. Even though, 80 of republicans opposed the Citizens United decision and two thirds support strengthening Voter Protection and the restoring of the Voting Rights act. Only we the people can bring about a meaningful change and alter current discriminatory trends. In this regard, i want to commend the Brennan Center for its leadership on these issues. Proposedr first automatic Voter Registration and in 2007 and has not done much since then to advance the policy and other voting enhancements through Extensive Research and public education. So, speak out. Raise awareness about what is at stake, call the Political Party most responsible to resistant resistant tatian temptation and suppress certain votes in the hope of retaining electoral success and work to achieve this success by appealing to more voters. What do they fear . The very people who they claim they want to represent and urge policy makers at every level to reevaluate our systems and reform them in a way that encourage, not limit participation, insist that make that they make it easier to register and vote. And ask, why is voting tied to a single tuesday in november. Ofk to increase the number polling places where fellow citizens can truly participate in democracy. Increase, not decrease as lets as was done in arizona recently. The number of polling places where we can participate in democracy. We cannot and must not take the right to vote for granted, nor can we shirk responsibility that falls upon our shoulders. Indon johnson made a promise 1965, making the Voting Rights real. He pointed out, that america was the first nation in the history of the world to be found it with purpose to right the wrongs of history and do justice. Over the last two centuries, the fulfillment of this purpose has taken many forms, protest and compassion, declarations of war and peace command a range of efforts to make certain that government of and by and for the people shall not perish from the earth. Today there are competing visions about how our government should move forward. We are noisy nation. That is with the democratic that is what the democratic process is all about, space for opportunitiesate, for citizens to voice opinions and ultimately letting the people chart their own course. Our nation has worked and fought to help people around the world establish such a process. Here at home honoring our , democracy demands to remove any and all barriers to voting, a goal that all american citizens of all political backgrounds must share. Despite so many decades of struggle, sacrifice, and of achievement, we must remain ever vigilant in safeguarding our most basic and important right. Too many recent actions, i believe, are simply shameful. And they have the potential to reverse the progress that has defined us and made the nation exceptional, as well as an example for all the world. We must be true to the arc of americas history which compels us to be more inclusive with regard to the franchise. And we must never forget the purpose that inspired our nations founding and now must guide us forward. So let us act with optimism and without delay, rise to the challenges and overcome the divisions, and also the fallacies of our time, signal to the world that an american in america today, a more Perfect Union lives on. Now is not the time to retreat from the most basic of american rights my the battle to ensure the Voting Rights of all americans is a defining one. This is not only a legal issue , but it is also a moral imperative. If we are to be the nation we claim to be, we must challenge in every way possible those that would undermine democracy and to those that have lost faith for the covenant between government and the people. The right to vote is not only the cornerstone of our system of government, but it is the lifeblood of our democracy. I am confident that with a focused citizenry and leaders like those we have today the struggle for right will be won. If we want to remain true to those who sacrifice and died to ensure the right to vote, we must simply not fail. Thank you very much. [applause] citizens have got to feel that their vote matters, that their voice matters, and whether they can not spare a single cent to help a person running for office, or whether they can write a check, it is that their concerns will be listened to. Sunday night, Tammy Baldwin talks about her career in Public Service and wisconsin political history. He helped shepherd the change senators were not appointed by the legislatures, but demanded elections. I guess those, i do not know if it was the first, but the idea that it was not going to be the party bosses that made the decision on who the nominee is nominees work, but rather the people who would have a chance to vote in free elections here elections. Sunday night on cspan. Mohammed ali died yesterday at the age of 74. His death comes a few days after he was admitted to a phoenix hospital for respiratory problems. He was well known in the sport of heavyweight boxing, winning several championships and a gold medal at the 1960 summer olympics. In 2005, he was a recipient of the highest honor given to a civilian by the white house. Here is a portion of the event, which begins with remarks from george w. Bush. Youident bush only if athletes are known as the greatest in their sport, or in their time. But when you say the greatest of all time is in the room, Everybody Knows who you mean. Aste a claim to make, but mohammed ali once said, it is not bragging if you can back it up. [laughter] up bacan back it ked of it from the day that he won the gold medal, we all knew that there was Something Special about this young fighter from logo, kentucky louisville, kentucky. Knockoutscord with 37 , it hardly begins to tell the story. Fans andthe future, students of boxing will study the films and some will even try to copy his style. Certain things defy imitation. The ali shuffle, the total command of the ring, and the sheer guts and determination he brought to every fight. This is a man who once fought more than 10 rounds. And he fought to complete exhaustion. And victory in that legendary class of greatness clash of greatness. And the real question is, how he stayed so pretty. [applause] [laughter] it probably had to do with his beautiful soul. He was a fierce fighter and he was a man of peace, just like odessa and gaseous clay senior believed their son could be. Many people know him as a brave, compassionate man. And the American People are proud to call mohammed ali one of our own. [applause] [applause] our country and our world have been improved by the men and women that we honor today and now i ask the military to read the citations. Ali mmed