Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Joins New House Democratic Majority to Introduce Historic Anti-Corruption and Fair Elections Reforms
H.R. 1, the For the People Act, Will Clean Up Corruption in Washington, Make it Easier to Vote, and Give Hardworking Americans More Power in Our Democracy
“The people of El Paso and across the country are disappointed with the culture of corruption in Washington D.C.,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “The new Democratic House majority has received marching orders from the American people and we are ready to deliver on our promise to put hardworking families first and return power to the people.”
Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-03), and the new House Democratic majority to introduce H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping package of pro-democracy and anti-corruption reforms that will put the power back in the hands of El Pasoans and the American people by ending the dominance of big money in politics; making it easier, not harder, to vote; and ensuring that politicians actually serve the public interest.
H.R. 1 offers the most transformational and comprehensive democracy reforms in more than four decades, following through on Democrats’ election promise to clean up the chaos and corruption in Washington.
“The people of El Paso and across the country are disappointed with the culture of corruption in Washington D.C.,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “The new Democratic House majority has received marching orders from the American people and we are ready to deliver on our promise to put hardworking families first and return power to the people.”
A video of Congresswoman Escobar's remarks during the press conference can be viewed here.
H.R. 1 makes critical reforms across three key areas:
1) Voting Rights
Improve Access – H.R. 1 expands access to the ballot box by taking aim at key institutional barriers to voting, such as burdensome registration systems, limited voting hours and many other roadblocks. H.R. 1 creates automatic voter registration across the country, ensures that individuals who have completed felony sentences have their full rights restored, expands voting by mail and early voting and modernizes the U.S. voting system.
Promote Integrity – H.R. 1 fights back against Republicans’ assault on voting rights by committing Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act; prohibiting voter roll purges like those seen in Ohio, Georgia and elsewhere; and ensuring that discriminatory voter ID laws do not prevent Americans citizens from exercising their rights. H.R. 1 also ends partisan gerrymandering to prevent politicians from picking their voters and making Americans feel like their voices do not count.
Ensure Security – H.R. 1 ensures that American elections are decided by American voters without interference by foreign adversaries. The bill enhances federal support for voting system security, particularly paper ballots, and increases oversight over election vendors.
2) Campaign Finance
Guarantee Disclosure – H.R. 1 shines a light on dark money in politics by requiring any organization involved in political activity to disclose its large donors, which will break the nesting-doll system that allows big-money contributors and special interests to hide their spending in networks of so-called “social welfare” organizations.
Empower Citizens – H.R. 1 levels the political playing field for everyday Americans, empowering individuals with a multiple matching system for small donations and allowing the American people to exercise their due influence in a post-Citizens United world, while reaffirming that Congress should have the authority to regulate money in politics. The new system of citizen-owned elections will break special interests’ stranglehold on politics and enable Congress to advance an agenda that serves the American people
Strengthen Oversight – H.R. 1 ensures that there are cops on the campaign finance beat that will enforce the laws already on the books. H.R. 1 tightens rules on super PACs and restructures the Federal Election Commission to break the gridlock and enhance its enforcement mechanisms. It also repeals Mitch McConnell’s riders that prevent government agencies from requiring commonsense disclosure of political spending.
3) Ethics and Accountability
Fortify Ethics Law – H.R. 1 breaks the influence economy in Washington and increases accountability by expanding conflict of interest law and divestment requirements, slowing the revolving door, preventing Members of Congress from serving on corporate boards and requiring presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns.
Impose Greater Ethics Enforcement – H.R. 1 gives teeth to federal ethics oversight by overhauling the Office of Government Ethics, closing registration loopholes for lobbyists and foreign agents, ensuring watchdogs have sufficient resources to enforce the law and creating a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.
