WASHINGTON – The Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) applauds House Armed Services Committee (HASC) members, U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.), for submitting the Counting All Military Votes Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. This bipartisan amendment will protect the right to vote for all active duty military serving overseas.

The amendment ensures the ballots of all active duty military are shipped by Express Mail to expedite and track absentee ballots for successful, on-time delivery. Currently, Express Mail Labels are accessible on traditional military bases, but not to the 10,143 deployed active duty military members serving in?our embassies, consulates, and/or in diplomatic posts.

"Every American has the right to vote, including our military men and women serving overseas. However, each election, the votes of military members serving in our embassies, consulates, and other posts not under the Department of Defense are at risk of not being counted," said Davis. "The Counting All Military Votes Act guarantees Express Mail Labels for their ballots so the voices of all of our military bravely serving overseas are being heard in our nation's elections. I want to thank Reps. Turner and Crow for their bipartisan leadership and for offering this critical bill as an amendment to the NDAA. I'm hopeful that by including it in this must-pass legislation, we can help ensure the ballots of these servicemembers arrive on time this November."

"The votes of military personnel overseas go uncounted when they do not have access to the necessary expedited mailing labels for their ballots," Turner said."I'm proud to introduce this Military Voting Amendment so active duty military?personnel serving abroad have their ballot shipped with Express Mail Labels. The people protecting American democracy should have the full ability to participate in it."

"One of the rights our servicemembers safeguard is the right for Americans to have free, fair, and democratic elections," said Crow. "This amendment is a common sense fix and will ensure that our military personnel serving overseas at diplomatic installations have the same access to absentee voting as all other military personnel. It protects their rights while they protect our safety and I'm proud to join Representatives Davis and Turner in leading this effort."

Background:
In February, Davis introduced the Counting All Military Votes Act, which provides the necessary fix for lawful access to the Express Mail Label for?military?absentee?voting to all deployed active duty military personnel that are serving overseas by instructing the Secretary of Defense as the Presidential Designee to take such action necessary to administer the Express Mail Label for military absentee voting to the active duty military stationed at our embassies and consulates. CLICK HERE for more information.