if i had the limited the exception is too expensive. and you are mentioning one of which as i recall how much you make and worth. and there -- the exception creates three categories and the middle category where somebody's net worth is below $100,000 beth

limits. >> the difference is what is material as opposed to in a dental errors or omissions. mr. quigley do you have anything final? >> thank you. you have been generous with your time. we hope that this furthers the cause for hoping small businesses get the capital they

need to grow or survive. this hearing is now ajournged. swr . >> one on foreign aid and another on women in business. after that a council looks at homelessness among veterans. >> this is the conversation we need to have in this country that nobody is willing to have. what role should the government play in housing finance? >> "new york times" columnist detailed the subprime lending

collapse. the 2008 financial melt down. if you want to talk about it. then pu it on the balance sheet and make it clear. but when you deliver it through these third-party companies with private shareholders and executives who can extrekt a lot of that for themselves, that is not a very good way of subsidizing home ownership. >> senate judiciary chairman

held a hearing on a bill aimed at stopping voter supression. the bill has been introduced by several senators. witnesses include civil rights advocates. this is about an hour and a half. >> good morning and thank you all for being here. we are holding a hearing of 2011. to protect the right to vote.

the legislation of the attorney general identifies one of the three areas crucial in driving the process to protect all americans and their right to vote. >> americans denied access to voting undermines our access to voting. a state like vermont, everybody knows everybody we never had any

indication of a supression of voters. individuals will have more and more input over the electoral process. by striking down a state law even though the record was because of the corrupting influence and actually the corruption occurred in montana because we'll say of corporate contributions.

i am not one who thinks of corporati corporations in that record. just because we elected general eisenhower as president, why can't we elect general electric as president. that may not be too far fetched. vermont is a small state.

our country has come a long way in expanding the right to vote. trying to register voters to our national consciousness. we had a member of the house of representatives nearly die when he tried to vote during that time. by having the grand father clause where it was common place.

some did pay with their lives for the right to vote. we see restricted voting laws. according to the national conference in 2001, nearly 1,000 voter id's have been issued in 46 states. laws make it hafrder for billions of eligible voters to cast balots.

and the elderly, i will put all my statement in the record, but, i remember the recall election, voters are going to roll. if you decide the recall position, you don't need to vote on tuesday. democratic governor and president obama had been successful and there was no need to vote. it was said relax, everybody is fine she is watching tv tonight.

2010 african-american neighborhoods, a groove for one democratic candidate which happens to vote on the ticket. i might note the first witness

will be senator carden, we are properly gripping the stories we told which happened in maryland. these are the thing that is we wrote about in history books. to see it in recent time is evil and raw. i put my full statement on the record. >> mr. chairman, to paraphrase justice scalia, a bill raises a quote class to speak and chief's closing end of quote. and then to quote again, but this wolf comes as a wolf. this bill represents a frontal attack on first amendment

freedom of speech. his opponent has displayed signs with what he termed a false statement quote we are not slaves to democrat end quote. that is fully protected by the first amendment no matter how much it might offend or outrage. that witness is unable to appear before us today as he is now serving a lengthy sentence of conspiracy. president obama has attacked the supreme court rulings that protect court political speech.

and this should deeply trouble all americans. the bill's unconstitution ality of what one of today's witness hes referses to of fraudulent information. it's unsoundness would create a freezing effect. how can anyone argue, how can anyone know in advance what his arguably position would be? that effect is there and cannot obtain convictions.

one's aponent and associates are in all probability crooks and nothing that gives an appearance of validity to so muuch charges an investigation prosecution end of quote. even worse is the bill's provisions for private right of action. the bill's proponents can be bills and neither shores.

the forces pushing for self censorship would be enormous. nothing condones the violation of criminal law. although one would not know it from the bill's supporters. the kinds of activities that occurred in maryland and elsewhere that are on the bill's findings are prohibited by federal law. that is the conclusion of theioustice department for criminal election prosecutions.

holding place locations or false claims to vote among other practices that witness decreed. >> the constitution ality prohibiting various claims will have to report with the decision handed down on thursday. this bill is notable for what it omits. for allowing ineligible voters. none of the proponents for this bill want anything to do before that. the obama administration sued the state for trying to remove ineligible voters too close to t

the election. and why doesn't this bill criminalize practices made by candidates themselves or whether they served in the military when they did not? this bill is a pandora box that threatens first amendment rights, thank you. >> well, i would note that you

had a great deal of experience both in the maryland legislature but also in the united states senate. and before he speaks, can i have a statement by the senator? >> in -- well keep the record open to the end of the day, go ahead. >> senator, it is a pleasure to return to the judiciary commit. i want to thank you and your commit for it's leadership on these issues.

advance and all ability of americans cast el vibl jibl to vote. as the chairman pointed out, this legislation has been heard by the committee in 2007 and i was proud to be a co sponsor by obama at that time. the bill was reported out of the judiciary committee and the bill was passed by a voice vote. let me give a little history here, it has been a century and a half which states that the right of citizens in the united states to vote shall not be denied to vote on a count of race or color.

it gives congress the right to vo vote. the gives afterican-americans t ability to vote. it took congress and the states nearly another century until we adopted the 24th amendment in 1964 which prohibited the tax in the right to vote. in 1965, congress enacted the voting rights act. it is time for congress once again to take action that are being used against african-americans and other minorities interfere with their right to vote with the candidate of their choice. these tactics undermine and

erode the democracy and threaten the integ are the rity of our s. i will not repeat them in detail today. the roecorrecordtaining aimed a minority communities so that they will not show up to vote, warning event immigrants not to vote due to the possibility of deportation. warning voters with unpaid parking tickets or loss of custody of their children. as the chairman pointed out, i woke up on the morning of the election to see a piece of literature who claimed to be the democrat who had endorsed me in an effort to confuse the african-american vote.

mr. chairman, this is not freedom of speech. this is a practice that has no place in our system. the same year, fliers were distributed in african-american neighborhoods in philadelphia warning people with unpaid parking tickets could be arested if they showed up at polls on election day.

local registration of elections issued two releases in correctly warning that students could no longer be claimed on their parents tax returns. in the 2010 elections a group called black democratic trust of texas warning the straight ticket vote for the democratic party would not count. the vote would count for the democratic ticket. as you pointed out, the 2010 elections of maryland where the robocalls were made by the republican candidate, but not identified that way, saying that this was a call from the democratic candidate there was no need to vote because barack

obama had one. we want to make sure that in federal elections, we have the protection that these types of fraudulent deception communications will not be tolerated. we won't tolerate that type of communication in a presidential election. we thought those days were over but they are not. it simpois important for us to . he believes it is needed as a tool so that they can do their jobs on behalf of the american people. i would urge the committee to

favor ab favorably consider this again. >> would you agree that the first amendment argument is not enough. protected by first ceptive amendments and somebody is selling for example prescription drugs and have been proven by being unsafe, your heart condition for example, and well, we have a first amendment right could that serve as an example? >> you are right. none of the bill of rights are absolute. they are all subject to reasonable interpretation. since we know there is speech that is not protected under the first amendment. thank you very much. i appreciate you being here. we still miss you on this

committee but i'm proud of the other commeittees you are on. of course. thank you. >> thank you, senator. >> they say a name on the back, but i think they are all in the right place.

your statements will be part of the record. i apologize for the voice, the allergies or whatever is in the air, as much as reacting to the pollen. nobody can complain what a beautiful day it is. ms. collin s received her law degree and it is good to have you here. please go ahead. mr. chairman, thank you for protecting the voting rights of all americans.

restrongly support the act of 2011. we want to thank senator laheyy as well as senator schumer since 2005. i want to focus on why current final and state laws are in sufficient. and as well as how this bill addresses actual and documented fraud against voters. during the question and answers i'm happy to respond to questions and actions. as previously stated, it intentional intentionally disseminates information. as