April 11, 2002

This has been a marathon - and while we aren't at the finish line yet - meaningful election reform took an important step forward today, and the real winners are the American people. Each and every American citizen - be they the elderly, the disabled, or racial and ethnic minorities - deserves to have an equal opportunity to cast a ballot and to have that vote counted. Thankfully, this bipartisan measure will help do exactly that.

The right to vote is a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy; indeed, it is the very foundation upon which our democracy is built. But sadly, the last election revealed that cornerstone is chipped and in many ways broken. Millions of Americans were either ignored, disregarded or shut out of the democratic process. Thanks to the spirit of bipartisanship, unity and resolve, we are one step closer to not only fixing those problems but also strengthening that cornerstone.

Election reform represents the first civil rights challenge of the 21st century. From the founding days of the Republic, our nation has never in the past failed to meet similar challenges. With this bill, we can carry out our nation's constitutional obligation to ensure that every American who votes in a federal election will have that vote counted.

I want to thank and commend Senators McConnell, Bond, Schumer and others, and especially Senator Daschle, for their tireless efforts and leadership on this critically important issue.

Read the election reform issue page

Read a summary of the Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act

Listen to portions of Dodd's statement on the Senate Floor

Listen to portions of Dodd's statement at the press conference

View photos from the press conference