House Democrats have passed a comprehensive election reform bill (H.R. 1) with every single Republican voting against voting rights.

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The final vote was 234 to 193 with every Democrat voting for the bill, and every Republican voting against it.

At her press conference on Thursday, Speaker Pelosi said of H.R. 1:

But, the public belief that we can do that depends on our passing legislation to amplify the voices of the American people and reduce the voice of dark, special interest money that has influenced decisions in Congress before.

It is also, H.R. 1, about ending voter suppression. What are some people afraid of when people have a right to vote? It contains John Lewis’s language – fighting voter suppression. It also contains a path to H.R. 4, which is to restore the Voting Rights Act to its fullest efficacy, as it was pushed back by the Supreme Court.

And it also is a way to empower small donors over big donors, so that the public, again, knows that everyone’s voice is as important as anyone else’s voice.

Again, it was a confidence – it is about confidence. It is about ending skepticism.

I said in Texas a couple days ago in such a town meeting, on the subject of H.R. 1 and how it related to voter suppression, that when we talk about voter suppression, we largely talk about reducing the hours that polling is available, the number of polling places, the number of days. It is about time and location, et cetera, in certain areas where polling places are closed.

But, one of the big suppressors of the vote is the suffocation of the airways by big, dark money, misleading the public – not telling the truth about what is at stake in the election. And, the public throws up their hands and then just decides not to vote. So, this is about honoring our democracy.

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The bill is a sweeping combination of campaign finance reform, ethics reform, and voting rights protections. It is a key plank of democratic values and an expression of what the Democratic Party stands for.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has refused to allow a vote on the bill, as no member of Congress has been a bigger enemy of campaign finance reform and people-powered democracy than Mitch McConnell.

This vote came less than a day after 23 House Republicans voted against condemning hate.
Democrats are working to rebuild confidence and place democracy back into the hands of the majority, while Republicans are becoming the enemy within to the foundations of the republic.

If you care about the institutions and backbone that this nation was founded on, the Democratic Party is the only place to be.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association