Representative
Stephen Coyle
Democrat, First District
State of Rhode Island
Government Reform Committee
Environmental Rights Caucus
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Welcome to the Home Page of Representative Stephen Coyle Democrat, First District State of Rhode Island Government Reform Committee Environmental Rights Caucus |
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Updates A New Community Ethic Congressman Coyle Takes Seat on Government Reform Committee Statement on the Liberty Party and Election Reform Statement on Torture Accountability and Prevention Act Newsroom Legislative Priorities Contact Representative Coyle |
The Latest from Congressman Coyle A New Community Ethic February 2 Read Congressman Coyle's editorial in the Providence Journal. Congressman Coyle Takes Seat on Government Reform Committee February 2 Congressman Coyle is pleased to announce that he will serve on the Government Reform Committee for this session of Congress. He is eager to work closely with Chairman Adams and the other committee members on election reform and other ways to make government business more transparent and accountable to the American people. Statement on the Liberty Party and Election Reform Press Release of January 20 I spoke frequently in my campaign about the urgent need for election reform. It is simply unacceptable that so many of our citizens are still left unsure that their votes are counted accurately or feeling that various forms of political gimmickry are depriving them of a meaningful voice. The recent presidential race in Ohio, where recounts discovered over 3,000 additional votes for President Yoshida and Congressman Hahn, stands as a perfect example of why this process must be reformed. I have therefore decided to submit, as my first originally sponsored bill in Congress, the Know Your Vote Counts Act of 2005, which will require paper records for all electronic voting machines. I have also signed on as a co-sponsor to Congressman Dallas' Voting Rights Act of 2005 to end partisan gerrymandering in the drawing of House districts. Like all of my fellow Democrats, I issue a warm welcome to all the members of the Liberty Party joining our coalition. Needless to say, I am enthusiastic at the prospect of participating in the new House majority, and I hope that we can work productively with our Republican and Federalist colleagues on election reform and other issues. Statement on Torture Accountability and Prevention Act Press Release of January 17 After the devastating terror attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush called for a global war on terrorism, speaking of a conflict "between freedom and fear." Like most Americans, I was inspired by this vision despite my own partisan preferences, and I believe that it obligates us to fight the war on terrorism in accordance with our American principles of human rights and the rule of law. To put it simply, we must not succumb to the fear that we can only defeat the terrorists by adopting the most brutal and inhumane tactics. It is with these concerns in mind that I have signed on as a co-sponsor to the Torture Accountability and Prevention Act introduced by Congressman Dallas. Torture is strictly forbidden by U.S. and international law and by our obligations to the Geneva Conventions, and Rep. Dallas' legislation will ensure that no element of the United States Government becomes complicit in the practice. By taking this principled public stand, we can signal our respect for human rights and rehabilitate our moral leadership in the war on terrorism. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation as quickly as possible, and I hope that President Yoshida will lend it his support and his signature. |