Cindy Carr cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer designated the For The People Act as S.1, the honorary first bill the new Senate will take up this term. The For The People Act, re-introduced in the House earlier this month, is designed to create nationwide automatic and same day voter registration, put an end to partisan gerrymandering, strengthen ethics laws to curb the undue influence of corporate polluters, and fix our broken campaign finance system, among other initiatives. The introduction of S.1 comes less than two weeks after a failed coup and following four years of many Congressional Republicans eroding governmental norms and drowning out the voices of the voters.
Earlier this month, the House also re-introduced H.R. 51, Congressmember Eleanor Holmes Norton’s (D-DC) bill to establish D.C. statehood. H.R. 1, H.R. 51, and H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, are crucial for achieving the vision of our democracy that we seek and preventing the type of corruption perpetuated by the Trump Administration.
In response, Sierra Club Democracy Program Director Courtney Hight released the following statement:
“As we prepare to enter a new era and welcome the incoming Biden Administration, the Sierra Club applauds Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats for prioritizing the critical democracy reforms our country so desperately needs. Over the past four years, Donald Trump has sold out our clean air and water, our public lands, our climate, and our communities to corporate polluters, and less than two weeks ago, our country witnessed an unprecedented direct and violent attack on our democracy and lawmakers.
“Once the For The People Act passes and is signed into law, it will not only help to prevent all future administrations from perpetuating Trump-esque corruption and fraud, it will reign in the undue influence of dark money in our elections, expand access to the ballot box, and increase ways the American people can hold our elected officials accountable. The Sierra Club calls on the Senate to protect and strengthen our democracy and to pass the For The People Act immediately.”
###
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.