1. Declaration for American Democracy
2. 51 for 51
3. AFSCME
4. American Federation of Teachers
5. Bend the Arc (below)
6. Blue Wave Postcards Movement (below)
7. Brady United
8. Brennan Center
9. Campaign Legal Center
10. Center for American Progress
11. Center for Popular Democracy
12. Clean Elections Texas (below)
13. Common Cause 
14. Communications Workers of America 
15. CREW
16. DC Vote
17. DemCast USA
18. Democracy 21
19. Democracy Initiative
20. End Citizens United // Let America Vote
21. Fix Our Senate
22. Franciscan Action Network 
23. Free Speech for People 
24. Generation Progress
25. Greenpeace
26. Indivisible
27. Just Democracy
28. Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
29. Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
30. Main Street Alliance
31. Missouri Voter Protection Coalition
32. MoveOn (below)
33. National Council of Jewish Women 
34. National Democratic Redistricting Committee
35. New American Leaders
36. People for the American Way
37. Progressive Turnout Project
38. Protect Democracy
39. Public Citizen
40. Sierra Club
41. SMART Elections (below)
42. Southern Poverty Law Center (below)
43. Transparency International U.S. Office
44. Un-PAC (below)
45. Vote.org (below)
46. Voting Rights Lab (below)
47. Workers Circle

Bend the Arc
Bend the Arc applauds House passage of For the People Act

If passed by the Senate, historic democracy reforms in HR1 will bring transparency and accountability to our government

WASHINGTON – Bend the Arc: Jewish Action released the following statement on Wednesday in response to the U.S. House of Representatives passing the HR1 For the People Act:
“The American people joined together in November to demand a government that is accountable to all its residents,” said Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Washington Director of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action. “The House passage of HR1 is a first step in fulfilling the promise of a government of, by, and for the people, and the Senate should join their House colleagues in passing this bill without delay.”

“Unfortunately, while Americans continue calling for free and fair elections that make every voice heard, Republicans in Congress and in state legislatures across the country are working furiously to further undermine democracy and our right to vote. They are seeing what happens when voters choose their politicians instead of the other way around, and they are introducing more and more bills that attempt to disenfranchise Black and Brown voters in order to preserve a broken system that enshrines their own political power and wealth.”

“The violent attack on the Capitol on January 6 is a symptom of the right’s desperate attempts to hold onto power at any cost and underscores the urgency of efforts such as HR1 to transform our political system into one that truly represents all Americans. For generations, Jewish Americans have fought to expand access and protect the freedom to vote, and we will continue fighting for these pro-democracy reforms so our leaders can get to work building a country where everyone can thrive.”

Since the 2020 election, 43 states have introduced more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access this year – intentionally aiming to drown out the voices of Black and Brown voters who voted in record numbers this past election. The For the People Act will increase political power in Black and Brown communities by bringing together the most effective reforms enacted in states to create national standards that protect our freedom to vote and limit the power of special interests and wealthy donors.

It will also eliminate partisan and racial gerrymandering, which allows politicians who are driven by the priorities of special interests to draw districts and cherry-pick their voters. This racist practice has determined who will win elections for the rest of the decade, while silencing Black and Brown communities.

The For the People Act will also advance reforms that build the power of small donors in our elections to open up our political system to all Americans, including ensuring that Black and Brown communities, and more women, can run for elected office.

Bend the Arc has long advocated for the strengthening of voting rights and the repair of the Voting Rights Act following the disastrous Supreme Court Shelby County v Holder decision.
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action is uniting a movement of tens of thousands of progressive Jews across the country who are fighting for justice and equality for all. We are the only national Jewish organization focused exclusively on social change in the United States.

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Blue Wave Postcards Movement

Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Leaders Must Finish the Job and Pass the For
the People Act as a First Priority to Transform Our Democracy

We commend the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the For the People Act today, a sweeping package of democracy reforms that will expand and protect voting rights for all, end partisan and racial gerrymandering, get dark money out of politics, and restore transparency and accountability in our government.

A majority of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats support the For the People Act, and in
passing this bill the House of Representatives responded to the will of the people, who voted in
record numbers for a House, Senate, and a President who believe our democracy works best when every vote is counted and every voice is heard.

It’s critical that we sustain this momentum and move swiftly to make change. Since the 2020
election, 43 states have already introduced, prefiled, or carried more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access this year, intentionally aiming to drown out the voices of voters, particularly Black and brown voters, who voted in record numbers this past election cycle. We have a long road ahead of us to transform our politics and realize the true promise of democracy — a multiracial, inclusive government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Now that

H.R.1 has passed in the House, the next step forward is with the correlated Senate bill (S.1).
The Blue Wave Postcards Movement calls for the passage of the For the People Act as a first priority of Congress and the Biden-Harris administration. It’s time for our leaders, including U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W VA) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), to move our country forward by passing this bill immediately in the Senate.

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Clean Elections Texas Education Fund
Statement on Passage of H.R.1, the For the People Act

Statement of Clean Elections Texas Education Fund President Diana Burns

We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the For the People Act today, a sweeping package of democracy reforms that will expand and protect voting rights for all, end partisan and racial gerrymandering, get dark money out of politics, and restore transparency and accountability in our government.

A majority of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats support the For the People Act, and in passing this bill the House of Representatives responded to the will of the people, who voted in record numbers for a House, Senate, and a President who believe our democracy works best when every vote is counted and every voice is heard.

We have a long road ahead of us to transform our politics and realize the true promise of democracy—an inclusive government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Over our history, we have fought to expand access and protect the freedom to vote.

The For the People Act will bring together the most effective reforms enacted in states to create standards that protect our freedom to vote and limit the power of special interests and wealthy donors. It will also eliminate a process which allows politicians who are driven by the priorities of special interests to draw districts and cherry-pick their voters. Fairer redistricting will ensure all voters can be heard. The bill will also advance reforms that build the power of small donors in our elections by breaking the corrupt influence of Big Money spending and opening up our political system to all Americans.

With the House passing the For the People Act, we are taking the next step forward. The Senate must follow suit and immediately introduce and pass the For the People Act.

Indivisible on the House Passing the For The People Act

Washington, DC — Today, Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director of the Indivisible Project, issued the following statement:

“Bravo to the House Democrats who unified to pass the For the People Act. We celebrate this bold legislation to foster a real democracy. We look forward to similar swift action from the House for D.C. statehood and the John Lewis Voting Right Act.

“But let’s not be coy: Mitch McConnell will filibuster these reforms to death unless pro-democracy Senators stop him. We know this because we’ve been here before. In 2019, McConnell called the democracy-saving reforms “socialism” and a “power grab,” and he refused to even allow a vote on the legislation. The For the People Act will suffer a similar fate unless pro-democracy senators take a different path – overcome McConnell’s filibuster and pass this legislation.

“There is no time to waste. There is an avalanche of anti-democracy legislation on the way to enactment in the states. From Arizona to Texas to Florida to Georgia, reactionary state legislatures are preparing to enact historic levels of voter suppression, especially targeting Black and brown voters. If pro-democracy forces in the Senate do not move swiftly, there will not be much of a republic left to save.

“There is a cure for what ails our democracy. It’s called the For the People Act. It’s called the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It’s called D.C. statehood. Indivisible is investing over $10 million to support local Indivisible groups to enact these reforms and achieve a real democracy in America – one truly of, by, and for the people.”

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Indivisible
Indivisible on the House Passing the For The People Act

Washington, DC — Today, Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director of the Indivisible Project, issued the following statement:

“Bravo to the House Democrats who unified to pass the For the People Act. We celebrate this bold legislation to foster a real democracy. We look forward to similar swift action from the House for D.C. statehood and the John Lewis Voting Right Act.

“But let’s not be coy: Mitch McConnell will filibuster these reforms to death unless pro-democracy Senators stop him. We know this because we’ve been here before. In 2019, McConnell called the democracy-saving reforms “socialism” and a “power grab,” and he refused to even allow a vote on the legislation. The For the People Act will suffer a similar fate unless pro-democracy senators take a different path – overcome McConnell’s filibuster and pass this legislation.

“There is no time to waste. There is an avalanche of anti-democracy legislation on the way to enactment in the states. From Arizona to Texas to Florida to Georgia, reactionary state legislatures are preparing to enact historic levels of voter suppression, especially targeting Black and brown voters. If pro-democracy forces in the Senate do not move swiftly, there will not be much of a republic left to save.

“There is a cure for what ails our democracy. It’s called the For the People Act. It’s called the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It’s called D.C. statehood. Indivisible is investing over $10 million to support local Indivisible groups to enact these reforms and achieve a real democracy in America – one truly of, by, and for the people.”

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MoveOn
MoveOn: Senate Democrats Must Urgently Pass the For the People Act, There is No Time to Waste

WASHINGTON, DC — Following the passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act in the US House of Representatives, MoveOn’s Executive Director Rahna Epting released the following statement:

“Our democracy continues to be under attack. State lawmakers have introduced over 250 bills to restrict access to voting, big money has overwhelmingly more influence over our elections and elected officials than we the people, and partisan redistricting efforts that allow gerrymandering are about to disenfranchise voters for another decade.

“There is no time to waste. The time for the Senate to pass S. 1, the For the People Act is now. Senate Democrats must prevent Republican lawmakers from using the legacy of Jim Crow—the filibuster—to establish new Jim Crow restrictions on voting.

“If Democrats don’t deliver this win, they will continue to feel the repercussions every election when their supporters can’t vote, their districts no longer exist, and the mega-rich and corporations continue to wield their power to support their own interests above all else.”

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SMART Elections

H.R. 1 Passes the House – A Big Step Forward for Election Security

New York City – March 4, 2021 — Yesterday, the United State House of Representatives passed The For the People Act, (H.R. 1). The bill is a visionary, once-in-a-generation effort to improve the functionality, fairness, and security of U.S. elections. It will address multiple, systemic, ongoing problems in our elections. We fully support its passage. It will now move on to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

“Beyond the big ticket items that have received the most attention, less well-known parts of the bill have the ability to vastly improve our election security, especially if they are slightly improved.” says Lulu Friesdat, Executive Director of SMART Elections. She adds, “It’s critically important to remember that what brought on the January 6th insurrection was the belief that the results were wrong. For that reason, it is as important that voters and candidates have confidence in our election results – as it is that the results be accurate. Some key provisions in H.R. 1 can help accomplish that.”

The focus of the bill has been primarily on its important reforms to protect voting rights, end gerrymandering, get dark money out of politics, and increase transparency and accountability in our government.

But here are some provisions that are notable and necessary to improve election security.

Durable Hand-Marked Paper Ballots Must Be Available – H.R. 1 requires that all voters have the option to mark their ballot by hand. This simple, non-technical provision, is the action that security experts recommend, more than any other, to help ensure our elections are secure and accurate. Having a durable paper record of the vote helps guarantee that we can verify that all votes are counted accurately, even if voting machines are hacked, or fail to count correctly. (This provision could be improved by making sure that hand-marked paper ballots are available at all in-person voting locations, so that the requirement cannot be side-stepped by offering a paper ballot through the mail.)

Resources for States to Improve Security – H.R. 1 offers states resources to purchase voting systems that comply with its rules. Many states are cash-strapped, especially now, during the pandemic. H.R. 1 makes grants available to states, as long as they buy systems that meet the requirements in the bill.

Risk-Limiting Audits – H.R. 1 takes steps to encourage states to conduct robust audits to ensure that vote counts are correct. (These requirements could also be strengthened).

Expansions in the rights of voters with disabilities.
Accessibility requirements – H.R. 1 includes a requirement that voters who need to be able to vote without touching the ballot can do so privately and independently.

SMART Elections has prepared a position paper on how these provisions can be strengthened even further. We believe that some of the suggested changes are urgent.

Inclusion and equal access to power are major issues addressed by H.R.1. And they are concerns that SMART Elections cares deeply about. We will be conducting a forum on Tuesday March 9th at 7pm EST on how racial inequity in our elections can be addressed by H.R. 1. Our guest will be Demos Senior Policy Analyst Shruti Banerjee.

As a non-partisan project SMART Elections understands that there are painful battles being fought right now on the rules that govern our elections. A quote from Abolitionist Minister Theodore Parker may help us through. “I do not pretend to understand the moral universe. The arc is a long one. My eye reaches but little ways … And from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice.” (Later summarized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

We applaud every step forward in our long journey toward inclusion and fairness in our democracy. This is a big one.

Southern Poverty Law Center

H.R. 1 Will Strengthen Our Democracy; Up to Senate to Make It Law, Says SPLC Action Fund
Provisions particularly needed in the Deep South, the birthplace of the modern voting rights movement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the For the People Act, or H.R. 1, by a vote of 220-210. Zero House Republicans voted in favor of the bill. Provisions of H.R. 1 include: restoring federal voting rights to people with felony convictions; modernizing voter registration and absentee ballot systems; reforming redistricting; ending partisan and prison gerrymandering; and combating illegal and discriminatory voter purges. Now, the legislation heads to the U.S. Senate.

The SPLC Action Fund has previously submitted written testimony to the Committee on House Administration urging swift passage of the law.

Nancy Abudu, deputy legal director of voting rights for the SPLC Action Fund, issued the following statement in response to tonight’s vote:

“The need for H.R. 1 couldn’t be clearer — or more urgent. Today’s vote represents a giant step forward in improving access to the ballot across the country, but particularly here in the Deep South — the birthplace of the modern voting rights movement — where it is still much too hard to vote.

“The 2020 election season, in which election officials in many southern states failed to protect voters and their loved ones during a deadly pandemic, revealed not only deep faults in our electoral system, but also the resilience and dedication of voters in the Deep South. Only through bold, decisive action can federal lawmakers ensure that voters everywhere are protected from efforts to exclude them from the political process.

“State legislators and officials here in the Deep South have resisted for decades commonsense reforms like online voter registration and automatic voter registration while advancing and maintaining voter suppression policies like felony disenfranchisement, restrictive photo ID laws, massive voter purges, and polling place closures.

“Democracy reform is therefore urgent in the Deep South, where voters have also been without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for nearly eight years. Right now, state legislatures are attempting to further roll back access to the ballot, justifying these new attacks on the right to vote with decades-old lies about voter fraud reinvigorated in recent months by far-right conspiracy theorists and extremists. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, just heard a case that challenges Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — one of the most powerful tools we still have to defeat racial discrimination in voting.

“H.R.1 would roll back discriminatory practices that have harmed voters and citizens of color. Among other provisions, it would restore federal voting rights to people with felony convictions, modernize voter registration and absentee ballot systems, reform redistricting, end partisan and prison gerrymandering, and combat illegal and discriminatory voter purges.

“The For the People Act is overwhelmingly popular among Americans of all ideologies and political persuasions. More than two-thirds of Americans, including more than half of all Republicans, support H.R. 1. It represents a transformative, popular vision for our democracy that would ease access to the ballot box, protect against voter suppression, and significantly modernize elections around the country.

“With the House passing the For the People Act, we are taking the next step forward in protecting voters and our democracy for future generations. The Senate must follow suit and immediately pass the For the People Act so it can be signed into law.”

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Un-PAC

NEWS: 117th Congress Votes in Favor of H.R. 1 For The People Act, Youth Organization Un-PAC Applauds the Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, The House voted in favor of H.R. 1, the For the People Act. In response to this historic vote, Un-PAC’s Organizing Director, Joseline Garcia, states “Recent history has shown us that Congress serves the wealthy and their special interests— not our generation. But history also shows us that young people are consistently at the forefront of change. Tonight’s vote brings us one step closer to fixing our broken democracy. Passing the For the People Act will be necessary if our generation is to inherit a livable planet, gain access to affordable healthcare, and have a future to look forward to.” Un-PAC plans to continue to organize students and young people to fight for this legislation and democracy reform as the bill moves to the Senate.

Un-PAC is the only prominent national group with a mission to activate students and young people to demand democracy reform, specifically to ensure that at this pivotal moment, they are advocating for the passage of the For The People Act into law. Un-PAC believes that fixing our broken democracy is the only way that Congress will become incentivized to address urgent problems this generation faces, such as climate change, crippling student debt, and systemic racism.

Un-PAC currently has a presence on 190 campuses nationwide and aims to hire over 100 student organizers across the country to lead this monumental effort.

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Vote.org

Vote.org CEO, Andrea Hailey:

On behalf of the 34 million Americans who Vote.org helped to register and vote last year, I am grateful to the House of Representatives for passing H.R.1, the For the People Act.

Making it easier for eligible voters to cast a ballot should not be controversial. Today voters suppression efforts still target Black communities, as they have for decades. Young people face cumbersome, confusing and outdated election systems designed to keep them from voting. Workers too often have to choose between their paycheck and their vote.

To maintain our democracy, we must protect and expand voting rights for everyone. Vote.org is calling on the Senate to immediately introduce and pass the For the People Act.

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Voting Rights Lab

House Passes Historic Voter Protections

WASHINGTON— The U.S. House of Representatives moments ago passed H.R. 1, or the For the People Act. This sweeping piece of legislation enacts voter protections against suppressive tactics like onerous voter ID requirements and excessive wait times at polling places; ensures equitable access to early and absentee voting; modernizes the voter registration system by requiring automatic voter registration, same day registration, and online registration; ensures the restoration of voting rights to those no longer incarcerated; and reforms the redistricting process.

In response, Megan Lewis, executive director of the Voting Rights Lab, released the following statement:

“The House’s passage of the For the People Act is a much-needed step towards realizing the promise of our democracy. It will help ensure that voting is equitable, accessible, and serves as a celebration—of our freedom and of our communities.

“It comes at a time when a number of state legislatures are trying to take us backwards, lodging unprecedented attacks on the freedom to vote. The Senate must immediately introduce and pass the For the People Act to guarantee that every eligible American can cast a ballot.”

Track unprecedented voter suppression efforts across the country at Voting Rights Lab’s State Voting Rights Tracker.

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Workers Circle
Statement by Workers Circle on the House Passage of the For the People Act

(New York) — Ann Toback, CEO of the Workers Circle, issued the following statement on the passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 3, 2021:

“The House of Representatives has taken a momentous step toward making the United States a truly inclusive, multi-racial democracy by passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act. This legislation will enact urgent reforms in voting rights, campaign finance, and ethics, and will address the widespread suppressive voting practices that have concentrated power in the hands of wealthy, white, corporate interests at the expense of the American people, and have served as an intentional barrier to voters of color.

The For the People Act will end suppressive voting policies, including Voter ID requisites, voter purges, and arcane registration requirements that have, by design, impeded millions of Black and brown Americans from voting, while simultaneously ensuring election integrity and security. Importantly, the Act further declares that Congress finds that the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision in 2013 ushered in a new era of voter suppression, and that Congress should restore and update the protections of the Voting Rights Act that were dismantled by the Supreme Court.

We commend Leader Pelosi, House Administration Chairperson Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Democracy Reform Task Force Chair Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) for their leadership and all lawmakers who voted for this critical piece of legislation which is urgently needed.

Since the 2020 election, 43 states have already introduced, prefiled, or carried more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access this year, intentionally aiming to create significant obstacles to voting for thousands of citizens, particularly Black and brown voters, who voted in record numbers this past election cycle. Just this week the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments concerning article 2 of the Voting Rights Act that will determine whether the last vestiges of government oversight to protect Americans’ right to vote will stand.

The Workers Circle community of activists across the nation will now turn our attention to the Senate and work assiduously for the passage of S.1 and we encourage all Americans to reach out to your Senators an urge the passage of the For the People Act, because democracy can’t wait.”

 

 

America is at a crossroads. For the past decade, we’ve seen a shift away from government representation for the people to representation for the billionaires and corporate interests.

Voter suppression laws have silenced the voices of voters and entire communities, while billionaires and corporate interests continue to spend big to influence our elections and advance their agenda. This administration is pushing the limits of executive power to the brink, normalizing rampant corruption, disregarding the rule of law, while attacking the pillars of civil society itself.

From this broken political system, we have the opportunity to build something new, where everyone has a meaningful say in decisions that impact their jobs, housing, health, and safety.

This is our Declaration for American Democracy: