Hill bulletin.

Less than two months until Election Day, Congress has returned from its summer recess and while everyone hopes it will complete work on the FY '05 budget before recessing again in October, it is more likely that the budget will have to wait until the 109th Congress convenes in 2005. In the meantime, there is advocacy work to do on the League's legislative priorities.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

The League strongly believes that basic civil liberties must be preserved and protected as the nation seeks to guard against terrorism and other threats to national security.

This past year the LWVUS Lobby Corps (and in June, a number of LWVUS convention delegates) visited Senate offices to urge Senators to cosponsor the Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act (S.1709 and H.R.3352). The SAFE Act addresses some of the most problematic provisions of the Patriot Act, including limiting "sneak and peek" warrants, requiring evidence that a suspect is a spy or foreign agent before business records may be searched, and creating new sunset provisions for specific aspects of the Patriot Act. The SAFE Act has strong bipartisan support from members of Congress. The lead Senate sponsors of S.1709 are Larry Craig (R ID) and Dick Durbin (D IL).

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators and Representatives to support the SAFE Act. S.1709 and H.R. 3352.

ELECTION REFORM

The LWV and its coalition partners continue to push for full funding of HAVA in the FY '05 budget despite a budget resolution that will govern the appropriations process for FY '05 that provides much less than the authorized $800 million for election reform.

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators to support full funding of HAVA in FY '05 so that the Election Assistance Commission can do its work and state and local governments can continue the required implementation of HAVA.

DC VOTING RIGHTS 

Rep. Tom Davis (R VA) held a hearing in the spring on four bills that would provide the District of Columbia some measure of congressional voting representation. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D DC) authored a bill, supported by the League, granting full Senate and House representation by statute. A retrocession bill from Rep. Ralph Regula (R OH) would return DC to Maryland. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R CA) has a bill providing voting representation for DC residents as part of Maryland, but otherwise maintaining DC as a separate political jurisdiction. And, Rep. Davis's bill grants voting representation in the House by statute, and, for political balance, increases the House by two seats with Utah acquiring the other one.

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators and Representative to support S.617 and H.R. 1285 for full representation for the citizens of the District of Columbia.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM 

The Presidential Public Financing Reform Project of which the LWV is a partner, is urging all candidates for election to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to sign a "Pledge" to work to reform and strengthen the presidential public financing system upon their election to office.

What You Can Do:

Urge your state's candidates for election to the U.S. House and Senate to sign the Pledge. Access it at http://interactive./wv.org/Issues/Issues.cfm?ID=1248&c=72; get it signed and returned to the address on the form.

Senators John McCain (R AZ) and Russell Feingold (D WI) and Representatives Christopher Shays (R CT) and Martin Meehan (D MA) have introduced legislation to reform the public financing system for presidential elections. Key elements of the bill require candidates to participate or opt out of public financing for both the primaries and general election, rather than "picking and choosing," and provide additional funding and higher spending limits. Final legislative action is not expected this year, but a strong base needs to be built for action in 2005.

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators and Representatives to support efforts to fix the presidential public financing system by cosponsoring S. 1913 and H.R.3617.

To reach your Senators and Representatives, go to www.lwv.org.

* Click on "Get Involved"

* Click on "Find your Representative"

* Enter your zip code under "ELECTED OFFICIALS," select "Congress," and click on "GO."