Press Releases

"Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 172, providing for consideration of H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019 under a Structured Rule. The rule provides two hours of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration. The resolution self-executes Chairwoman Lofgren’s manager’s amendment and provides for the consideration of 72 amendments, debatable for ten minutes each. The rule also provides authority for en bloc amendments, debatable for 20 minutes each. The rule also provides ten minutes of final general debate, after amendment consideration, equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on House Administration or their designees. Lastly, the rule provides suspension authority through Friday, March 8, 2019.

"Mr. Speaker, this past weekend I had the honor of traveling to Selma, Alabama with over 40 of our Congressional colleagues on a pilgrimage to observe the 54^th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the violent confrontation at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. That confrontation seized the nation’s attention and launched one of the most important periods in the history of our Republic – culminating in the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

"When our colleague, Representative John Lewis, along with Martin Luther King, and other civil rights pioneers organized voters to register, crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and marched from Selma to Montgomery, they did so knowing that their lives, and the lives of those they loved, were at risk. The institutional opposition they faced was fierce and violent, but their message of nonviolence and justice strengthened them and their resolve.

"They marched and risked their lives in order to secure the right to vote.  They understood that they would not ever be equal citizens of the United States until they had a voice in their destiny, and they understood that the United States could never be the republic it aspired to become until all of its citizens had the right to participate in decisions affecting their future. We undeniably have made progress, but not enough, and frighteningly, we seem to be moving backward. 

"In recent years, we have seen new forms of voter suppression emerge, whether in the guise of strict voter I.D. laws, purges of voting roles, partisan gerrymandering and unfounded allegations of voter fraud.

"As an election official, election protection organizer and voting rights advocate for over three decades, I have seen all of them. In fact, several of us in the Pennsylvania delegation were able to join this Congress, in part, because a federal court ordered that Pennsylvania’s congressional districts had been so gerrymandered that they were ruled unconstitutional. 

"We have heard, and will undoubtedly hear again today, that Democrats are pushing voting rights reform because of the expectation that new voters will likely be Democratic voters.  I would hope that those with a sense of history would resist, recognizing that the very same argument was used to oppose the Voting Rights Act in 1965, out of fear that those who had been oppressed would factor that experience into their voting decisions. 

"It is telling that a similar fear motivates some in this chamber today who would rather deprive citizens of a fundamental right than face them at the ballot box.

"The cynicism of those who would continue to place barriers in the way of those who wish to vote goes a long way to explaining why our citizens lack faith in us to work for them.  Those with power, voting and otherwise, too often try to preserve that power through means that are neither transparent nor understood by the people of this country.  We have to be bold and shed some of that institutional power in order to regain the trust of the people.

"I want to thank my colleague, Representative John Sarbanes, who has worked for years in tirelessly crafting this legislation. I also want to thank Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership team for making this bill the top priority in the House for the 116^th Congress. I am so proud that the first order of business of this Congress, our H.R. 1, is dedicated to good government and restoring trust in our democratic institutions.

"Our elections are the bedrock of our democracy. During the recent midterm election cycle, the American people charged us, the new Congress, to make sure that our government works for them. They’ve put their trust in us to champion our uniquely American creed - a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

"H.R.1- the “For the People” bill - is our commitment to that trust. This reform package will address many of the barriers to democracy that prevent too many eligible voters from having their voices heard, including our seniors, communities of color, service members, college students, those with disabilities, and low-income families, but it is up to us to see it through.

"I am immensely proud to be part of a party that is prioritizing legislation that the people are asking for, legislation that will:

• Protect the right to vote for every American and ensure clean and fair elections;
• End the dominance of big money in our politics, and
• Crackdown on corruption to make sure that public servants put the public interest first.

"Recent polls have found that many Americans do not vote because of difficulty registering or accessing their polling places, and that Americans are very concerned about the ethical standards of their elected representatives and government officials and the influence of special interests and corruption in Washington.

"Mr. Speaker, the Democratic majority takes what the people are asking for seriously. This is a bill that addresses their concerns and resets our democracy so that it works for the people, not special interests.

"H.R. 1 will make it easier for eligible Americans to vote. Allowing and enabling Americans to vote should not be a divisive partisan issue – our nation can only stand to benefit when all eligible voters have a voice.

"The very fact that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have greater electoral success when fewer people turn out to vote is not just a stain on our democracy, but a direct threat to it. 

"Automatic voter registration will make it easier for young adults and working families to ensure they are not left out of the process due to issues with registration.

"This bill will make critical fixes to voter purging policies that have disenfranchised millions since Section Four of the Voting Rights Act was struck down by the Supreme Court by a 5-4 decision in Shelby vs. Holder. Over four million more names were purged from voter rolls between 2014 and 2016 than they were between 2006 and 2008. These purges affected poor and minority communities at a disproportionate rate, further marginalizing people who already face significant institutional barriers to voting.

"Election security has been a bipartisan concern across the country for years, and H.R. 1 will make considerable investments to ensure our elections are secure, independent, and free from any foreign interference. Empowering the Election Assistance Commission will allow states to get the funding they need to upgrade or improve their election infrastructure, and improvements in Election Administration will help protect voting systems from cyber threats.

"Election infrastructure is critical, and this bill finally recognizes the role Congress must play in protecting our elections.

"A specific priority of mine that I am excited to see included in the bill will make it easier for persons with disabilities to participate in the electoral process. For too long, individuals with disabilities have faced barriers that prevent them from participating in our democracy at the ballot box. I have introduced legislation that is included in H.R. 1 that will direct and assist states to improve access to voter registration and voting for persons with disabilities.

"These democracy-driven policies represent just a handful of the voting rights reforms contained in H.R. 1. They will improve access to voting, promote integrity in the voting process, and ensure the security of our elections.

"Going further, H.R. 1 acts to shine a light and address the dark money which the Citizens United decision unleashed into our politics. Each year we do not act on reversing Citizens United, more and more untraceable money is spent on campaigns.

"This bill will overhaul the Federal Election Commission – the FEC - so that we have a real cop on the beat to enforce our campaign finance laws.

"It will upgrade political advertising disclosures and require donors giving more than $10,000 to politically-active organizations to be publicly identified.

"Simultaneously, this bill seeks to empower everyday Americans by creating a small-dollar match system that will bring more people into the conversation while reducing the impact large donors can have on any one campaign. While small-dollar campaign funding is relatively new to the federal system, it has been trialed in states and large cities nationwide to great effect.

"I am proud that H.R. 1 also includes a bill that I drafted to keep Presidential inaugural funds from becoming shadowy slush funds or opportunities for dark forces, whether foreign or domestic, to influence government.  The bill will prohibit donations to inaugural funds by foreign nationals or corporations, ban personal use of inaugural funds by a candidate, and requires disclosure of all donations and disbursements.

"H.R. 1 will also help restore voter confidence in our democracy by codifying ethics standards for all three branches of government. The bill requires the development of a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices, mandatory recusal of Presidential appointees from matters which concern the President and increase enforcement of the registration of foreign agents.

"The bill will prohibit members of Congress from using taxpayer funds to settle employment discrimination cases against them – preventing members of Congress from hiding misconduct and protecting taxpayer money from being misused.

"Finally, H.R. 1 will address presidential conflicts of interest by requiring sitting Presidents and Vice Presidents, as well as presidential and vice-presidential candidates to release their tax returns. Those occupying the highest office in the land should be required to show if they have financial interests that would influence their decision-making – having an executive beholden in any way to a private company or nation only serves to undermine our democracy.

"These reforms will change the balance of power in Washington. They will remove barriers to our democracy that drown out the voices of too many Americans. They will put the people back in charge.

"These reforms will bring about systemic change, which in turn will lead to policy outcomes that improve the lives of all Americans. From lowering the cost of prescription drugs, to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to raising wages and creating better job opportunities – each of these policies require the voices of the people to be fully heard and respected. They all rest on fixing our broken democracy.

"We have heard the call for change from our friends, neighbors, and constituents – that’s how I got here and how so many of my colleagues did too. And to those people who voted in such historic change, know that Democrats hear you and we are ready to give you the government you deserve.

"Crossing the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma was a poignant reminder that change does not come quickly, and it certainly does not come easily. Heroes like Representative John Lewis remind us of the sacrifices that were made in order to preserve our uniquely American creed: of the people, by the people, and for the people.

"H.R. 1 is the top priority of Democrats because it will strengthen the very core of our democracy. It will have a generational impact affecting every election and every bill passed by this body and signed into law. It is the mandate with which we were trusted by voters this past November and it is the first step in restoring faith in our institutions.

"Support this rule to show that you want big money out of politics; to show that you believe voting should be made easier, not harder for eligible voters, and to show that you believe those elected to public positions deserve to be held to the highest possible ethical standards.

"In the words of our esteemed colleague, Rep. John Lewis: “the fight to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument we have in a democratic society.”

"To the American people: we hear you. In the words of the civil rights anthem, we must keep our “eyes on the prize,” and hold on to the vision of a more perfect union - one in which the voices of the people are heard, and respected. Our caucus is eager to restore the promises of our democracy and give you the government you deserve.

"That’s why we are urging passage of HR 1- For the People."