Issue Briefs Showcase How the For the People Act Would Pave the Way for Progress on Priorities of Voters
Washington, D.C. — More than 365 days ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the For the People Act (H.R. 1) on March 8, 2019. Since then, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has blocked action on H.R. 1, continued to do the bidding of wealthy special interests and refused to stand up for Americans tired of the status quo in Washington.
Not only has the Senate failed to act on the For the People Act, but progress on the issues that matter most to Americans has also been stalled. The Declaration for American Democracy coalition today released a series of issue briefs, titled Fixing Our Broken Democracy, that examine the most important issues at the top of voters’ minds and explain why lawmakers are failing to act on their priorities. The topics the coalition reviewed include health care, science, racial justice, the environment, fighting for a living wage, gun safety, national security, poverty, LGBTQ Americans, and reining in Wall Street.
“If Americans are ever going to see progress on the issues they care about – whether it’s climate change, gun control, or lowering the costs of prescription drugs – we must have a democracy that puts the voices of voters over wealthy donors and corporate interests,” said Jana Morgan, director of the Declaration for American Democracy. “One year ago, the House of Representatives took the historic step of passing the most comprehensive set of democracy reforms that we’ve seen since Watergate, yet Senator McConnell continues to block the bill. Enough is enough. Voters deserve a Congress that puts their priorities first.”
The For the People Act is a once in a generation package of anti-corruption reforms that will end the dominance of big money in politics, protect the right to vote, and restore ethics and accountability in Washington. It passed the House with the unanimous backing of the Democratic caucus, an almost unheard of accomplishment for legislation of this magnitude. Its Senate companion, S. 949, also received unanimous support. Among the public, there is bipartisan consensus that our democracy is in danger, and 82% of Americans want these kinds of reforms to return power to the people.
To learn how the For the People Act would pave the way for progress on the issues voters care most about, read Fixing Our Broken Democracy.
The Declaration for American Democracy is a diverse coalition of more than 145 democracy, environmental, labor, faith-based, good government, civil rights, and other groups focused on advancing the structural changes necessary to ensure our democracy reflects, responds to, and represents voters.
