Public Citizen Statement on H.R.1 House Passage
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening the U.S. House of Representatives passed the groundbreaking democracy reform bill, the For the People Act (H.R. 1). Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, released the following statement in response:
“With the passage of the For the People Act, the House has demonstrated a deep commitment to taking on dark money and corporate influence on elections, racially motivated voter suppression, and the spread of viral disinformation. With trust in government at a historic low, the For the People Act is a critical next step to rebuilding American democracy and restoring faith in our system.
“The insurrection at the Capitol brought with it the hideous reality that democracy itself is more than fractured, it’s already broken. Without the For the People Act, widespread voter suppression efforts – driven by Trump’s unfounded ‘big lie’ – will further erode democracy. Over 250 toxic bills are moving through state legislatures across the country, including repeals of no-excuse absentee voting, severe voter roll purges, shortening of voter registration windows, and discriminatory voter ID requirements. In the face of these blatant attacks on American democracy, H.R.1 is more needed than ever.
“Public Citizen applauds the Speaker, lead House sponsor Rep. John Sarbanes, and the rest of the sponsors for passing the most transformational reform legislation since Watergate. We call on the Senate to quickly follow their lead and pass the bill. Only by prioritizing dealing with big money in politics, cleaning up the ethics quagmire of Washington, and increasing access to voting can we restore trust in our system. Our democracy depends on our success.”