On March 17th, 2021, the For the People Act (H.R.1) was reintroduced into the Senate. The For the People Act is a transformational democracy reform package. This bill seeks to "expand Americans' access to the ballot box, reduce the influence of big money in politics, strengthen ethics rules for public servants, and implement other anti-corruption measures for the purpose of fortifying our democracy, and for other purposes." The For The People Act passed the House of Representatives on March 3rd. It is time for the Senate to act! Call your Senator today to urge them to Vote YES on S.1!
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, since the beginning of the 2021 legislative session, at least 43 states have introduced 253 extremely restrictive voting laws in their state legislatures. These bills would "(1) limit mail voting access; (2) impose stricter voter ID requirements; (3) slash voter registration opportunities; and (4) enable more aggressive voter roll purges." Georgia state lawmakers introduced several bills that would end no-excuse mail voting, implement new ID requirements, add witness requirements for mail voters, ban mobile voting, and more. These laws are in response to the historic voter turnout in the 2020 general election as they are outwardly discriminatory and would have a disparate impact on Black, Indigenous, and voters of color, as well as older voters, low wealth voters, and voters in single-person households. This only highlights the urgency of reforms that repair our democracy and begin restoring faith in our democratic systems.
Tell Your Senator to VOTE YES for the For the People Act!
In 2008, in the policy, Lift Every Voice, the 218th Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly affirmed that “to deny anyone a fair vote is a sin.” Denying equitable and safe access to voting is a sin and fundamentally goes against our Reformed Christian belief. Every person deserves an equal voice in our democratic system. As people of faith, it is our collective call and responsibility to fight against an unjust democratic system and ensure equitable access to voting for all.
The For the People Act would (1) protect and strengthen the sacred right to vote, (2) end the dominance of big money in politics, (3) end partisan gerrymandering, and (4) implement anti-corruption pro-ethics measures to clean up government. Politicians and special interest groups who want to preserve a broken status quo are attacking the reforms, but their critiques do not stand up to reality. This legislation is a much needed democracy reform package that ends the reign of big money in politics, expands and protects voting rights, and creates a government that ensures all Americans have their voices heard.
It is more critical than ever that we take action to reclaim the values and promises of our electoral process. The House has shown it is ready to act now it's time for the Senate.
Contact your Senator today and tell them to VOTE YES for the For the People Act! |
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