| The For the People Act would end special-interest corruption of politics and return power to the voters Bill includes several reforms Hickenlooper spearheaded in Colorado, including a mail-in voting expansion and independent redistricting commissions Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper today joined U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock and all six freshman Senate Democrats in urging Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ranking Member Roy Blunt (R-MO) to advance the For the People Act (S.1) to the Senate floor for a vote. “When we see democracy work, we should rejoice—not restrict. Yet since November’s record-breaking turnout, state legislators across the country have introduced over 360 bills in 47 states that would restrict voting rights. Six of these bills have been signed into law. Against this wave of voting restrictions, Congress must take urgent action to protect our democracy,” the senators wrote. “The For the People Act is a bold package that includes the reforms essential to making our government work for all people, regardless of race, gender, or political party.” In addition to Hickenlooper and Warnock, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Mark Kelly, Ben Ray Luján, Alex Padilla, and Jon Ossoff. The letter comes the same day as a meeting of the Senate Rules Committee to consider the bill, which would protect the right to vote for eligible Americans and prevent the anti-democratic voter suppression laws passed in multiple states since the 2020 election. The bill also includes several reforms that Hickenlooper already helped implement in Colorado, including online voter registration, the ability to register to vote up to and on Election Day, expansion and protections for mail-in voting, and the creation of independent redistricting commissions. Full text of the letter is available HERE and below. Dear Chairwoman Klobuchar and Ranking Member Blunt, Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Last November, record numbers of Americans voted, with over 159 million votes cast. For us freshman Senators, it was a moment of personal pride, and we are honored to serve in this hallowed body. In advance of the scheduled May 11, 2021 business meeting in the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to consider and markup the For the People Act (S.1), we write to urge you to protect voting rights across the country by advancing the For the People Act to the Senate floor and strengthen our democracy. When we see democracy work, we should rejoice—not restrict. Yet since November’s record-breaking turnout, state legislators across the country have introduced over 360 bills in 47 states that would restrict voting rights. Six of these bills have been signed into law. Against this wave of voting restrictions, Congress must take urgent action to protect our democracy. On Tuesday, during its markup of the For the People Act, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration can send a powerful bipartisan message that we stand with all Americans in protecting the right to vote. And as freshman Senators, we stand united in our support of this legislation. The For the People Act is a bold package that includes the reforms essential to making our government work for all people, regardless of race, gender, or political party. It will protect absentee voting, early voting, and reduce the risk of faulty voter purges, while maintaining state election integrity measures. It will end partisan gerrymandering. It will provide important campaign finance reforms to end dark money and curb the influence of special interests and corporations in our elections. It includes desperately needed ethics reforms that will slow the revolving door between public service and the private sector. It also will strengthen oversight and enforcement of commonsense ethics laws and rules, among many other critical components. And it will work together with the provisions in the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act intended to undo the damage caused by Shelby Country vs. Holder, setting a floor in the states for protecting voters. As new Senators to the caucus, we have a timely perspective on the issues facing our democracy and the urgent need to address them. Voting rights are preservative of all our rights. In the face of attacks on voting throughout the country, we urge the members of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to protect our democracy and advance the For the People Act. |
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