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 The bill, an outgrowth of concerns over the voting machine glitches that have emerged in recent elections, would have reimbursed states that convert to paper-based voting systems or provide emergency paper ballots that would be counted as regular ballots in the event of machine failure.
The vote was 239-178 in favor of the legislation, short of the two-thirds majority needed under a special floor procedure that limited debate and barred amendments.
Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J. sponsor of the bill, said it would have represented "a real step forward in our effort to protect the accuracy, integrity and security of the November elections."
He noted that many who voted against the bill because of the cost "supported spending almost $330 million in recent years to provide election assistance in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. I would have hoped those who supported efforts to export democracy abroad would be equally committed to strengthening democracy here at home," he said.
Most Republicans voted against the measure. The White House on Tuesday also issued a statement strongly opposing it on grounds of "excessive spending." It noted that a 2002 election reform act had authorized $3 billion to help states upgrade their voting systems, and that about one-third of that money was still available.
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 The Congressional Budget Office estimated the cost of the legislation at $685 million, but supporters said that applied only to a worst-case scenario where many states opted to change their systems.
Common Cause president Bob Edgar criticized the vote, saying "the White House and House Republican leaders today delivered a blow to secure elections and the ability to conduct meaningful recounts."
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The bill is
H.R. 5036.
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On the Net:
Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov/
[Associated
Press; By JIM ABRAMS]
Copyright 2008 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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