House Democrats Pass Landmark Voting Rights and Electoral-Reform Legislation

House Democrats passed HR 1, the "For the People Act" yesterday by a vote of 234 to 193, with every Republican voting against the sweeping voting rights and electoral-reform legislation. Mitch McConnell will never allow it to come to a vote in the Senate, however, and President Trump has promised to veto it. That's a shame because the law would expand voter participation and enhance transparency in federal elections.

Republican opposition was predictable, however, because the law would make it easier to register and vote, reforms gerrymandering, and requires Super PACs to disclose the names of their donors. McConnell understands that none of those provisions would help Republicans win elections.

Here are eight of the key provisions of the legislation:

1. It makes Election Day a holiday for federal employees and encourages businesses to do the same.

2. it targets partisan gerrymandering by requiring the states to use nonpartisan commissions to create congressional districts.

3. it restores voting rights to ex-felons.

4. it increases election security and requires the director of national intelligence to monitor foreign threats to our elections.

5. it promotes early voting in the states.

6. it provides for nationwide automatic voter registration.

7. it requires candidates for president and vice president to disclose 10 years of their tax returns.

8. it requires Super PACs and “dark money” political organizations to make their donors public.

HR 1 will not become law in 2019, but expect to hear much more about these election reforms from Democratic candidates during the 2020 Presidential election.

By: Don Lam & Curated Content

#news #congress #electionreform