House leaders say vote should not be delayed

WASHINGTON — House leaders called Monday for Congress to affirm that presidential elections, to be held this year on Nov. 2, never will be postponed because of a terrorist attack.

The move comes after the chairman of a federal election commission suggested to congressional leaders last week that there should be a process for canceling or rescheduling an election interrupted by terrorism.

National security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration is considering no such plan.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge recently warned that intelligence indicates that the al Qaeda terrorist network wants to disrupt this year’s elections.

A congressional resolution proposed by Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Administration Committee, says “the actions of terrorists will never cause the date of any presidential election to be postponed” and “no single individual or agency should be given the authority to postpone the date of a presidential election.”

The resolution is supported by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and more than 60 other lawmakers. Ney said he will introduce it today.

No national election ever has been postponed, the resolution says, noting that federal elections took place as scheduled during the Civil War, World War I and World War II.

“Postponing an election in the aftermath of a terrorist attack would demonstrate weakness, not strength, and would be interpreted as a victory for the terrorists,” the resolution says.