Support Democracy Reform with Voting Rights Protections
This content is archived from the 117th Congress (2021-2022) and is no longer callable, we've provided this copy to remember the topics that you've called on during prevous Congressional sessions. Head back to the front page to see current topics to call on.
UPDATE (01/06/2022): Senate Democrats have introduced a compromise bill, S.2747, the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), in response to moderate Democrats’ and Republicans’ critiques of the For the People Act (FTPA). While the FTVA is in some ways narrower than the FTPA, it includes key provisions like designating Election Day as a national holiday, establishing a uniform national early voting period, and banning partisan gerrymandering. The FTVA is essential legislation to protect citizens’ voting rights.
UPDATE (06/22/21): Senate Republicans have successfully used the filibuster to block the For the People Act. Demand your representatives reconsider the legislation to counteract the rash of new voter suppression laws throughout the country.
With the health and strength of our democracy weakened by years of voter suppression, partisan gerrymandering, and dark money in politics, the new Democratic majority in the House and Senate are making democracy reform a first priority. House and Senate Democrats have introduced the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1), a sweeping bill aimed at addressing the years of erosion of our democracy by shoring up voting rights, reforming campaign finance, and heightening ethical standards.
The legislation contains several provisions to fight voter suppression, including national automatic voter registration, prohibitions on voter roll purging and federal partisan gerrymandering, and improved election security measures. It also strengthens ethics standards for all three branches of government, e.g. by requiring presidential candidates to disclose 10 years of tax returns and prohibiting members of Congress from using taxpayer dollars to settle sexual harassment cases. Furthermore, the bill aims to curb corporate influence in politics by forcing Super PACs to disclose their donors, requiring government contractors to disclose political spending, and prohibiting coordination between candidates and Super PACs, among other reforms.
Voters on both sides of the aisle agree that addressing political corruption to rebuild and strengthen our democracy’s integrity is a top priority, and Congress must act accordingly to pass the For the People Act.
