Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3463 - Termination of Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns and Termination of the Election Assistance Commission

(House)

(Rep. Harper, R-Mississippi, and Rep. Cole, R-Oklahoma)

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 3463, which would terminate taxpayer financing of Presidential election campaigns and would eliminate the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and transfer its responsibilities primarily to the Federal Election Commission.

H.R. 3463 would terminate the Nation's Presidential election public financing system, expanding the power of corporations and special interests in the Nation's elections. The bill would force many candidates into an endless cycle of fundraising at the expense of engagement with voters on the issues, and would place a premium on access to large donor or special interest support, narrowing the field of otherwise worthy candidates.

In addition, H.R. 3463 would terminate the EAC, which was established after the 2000 Presidential election to improve the administration of elections. The EAC continues to perform crucial statutory responsibilities by serving as a national clearing house of information for election officials and the public. In addition, EAC continues to administer Federal grants to the States that support necessary investments in reliable voting and elections equipment, issues and periodically reviews Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, accredits voting system test labs, certifies voting equipment, establishes best practices and guidelines on election administration for State and local election officials, and aids implementation of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and other Federal voting rights statutes. The EAC has further demonstrated its value with accomplishments such as aiding in the implementation of access programs for disabled voters. As the only Federal entity charged principally with improving the administration of elections, the EAC helps to protect voters' rights and the integrity of elections and plays an important role as part of the Nation's election system infrastructure. These functions are too critical to put at risk by allowing them to be subsumed in an entity for which they are not the primary mission.