CHAIRMAN ROBERT BRADY COMMENDS FLORIDA 13 TASK FORCE ON ITS APPROVAL OF GAO ENGAGEMENT PLAN

(Washington, D.C.) Committee on House Administration (CHA) Chairman Robert A. Brady commended the task force investigating the disputed race in Florida's 13th Congressional District, for promptly handing the dispute over to the Government Accountability Office for investigation today. The task force held a meeting and adopted the following motion offered by Rep. Zoe Lofgren: 

"Mr. Chairman, I move the approval of the GAO Engagement Plan with a target date of July 27, 2007; and that the Chairman transmit the GAO Engagement Plan to the parties to the contest, and that upon receipt, the parties will have seven days to submit comments to the Committee on House Administration which will transmit such comments forthwith to the GAO; and that the Chairman notify individuals, offices, and entities identified in the GAO Engagement Plan that the Task Force seeks their full, prompt and voluntary cooperation with the GAO."

Following that action, Chairman Brady said, "Chairman Gonzalez and his subcommittee members should be applauded for their diligent work on the Florida13 matter. The affirmative vote on the GAO report is a critical first step towards restoring the confidence of the voters in Florida, and in guaranteeing the integrity of our electoral processes. It is important that this be resolved in an expeditious manner so that the people of Florida's 13th Congressional District know that that their votes count - and are counted."

The parties involved now have seven days to respond to the report, ensuring that this process is open to public comment and completely transparent. The task force also directed GAO to provide periodic updates, saying status reports would help to determine the efficacy of the process.