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Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) voted to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021, a sweeping anti-corruption legislative package to protect and expand voting rights, restore the integrity of our government, and put the needs and priorities of the American people ahead of special interests.

“The urgent need to restore our Democracy and work to lay a strong foundation for our nation’s future has never been clearer,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “That is why today I proudly voted for H.R.1, the For the People Act to put power back in the hands of El Pasoans. This transformational package delivers on my promise to restore the integrity of our elections, hold elected officials accountable, and end the era of dark and special-interest money in our politics while protecting women exercising their civic duty and running for office.”

The For the People Act of 2021 includes two critical amendments sponsored by Congresswoman Escobar and supported by the Democratic Women's Caucus to protect women exercising their civic duty and running for office.

The first amendment would exempt spending on cybersecurity services, including those provided in response to online harassment, from coordinated political party expenditure limits. A recent study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found that women public figures are disproportionately impacted by harassment online. This amendment, offered by Congresswoman Escobar, would ensure campaigns have the resources needed to combat online harassment or hacks.

The second amendment would require states to set up privacy programs to allow victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking to have personally identifiable information maintained by election officials kept confidential. Oftentimes, survivors are hesitant to register to vote when they are asked for personal information that can be easily tracked down on online voter registration databases. This amendment, offered by Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14) and co-sponsored by Congresswoman Escobar, would ensure survivors are not deprived of their right to vote and their information is kept safe.

Key provisions of H.R. 1, the For the People Act include:

• Expanding automatic voting registration and same-day registration.
• Strengthening vote by mail, early voting, and ballot access.
• Combating voter intimidation and voter suppression.
• Protecting elections from foreign interference.
• Fixing partisan gerrymandering.
• Forcing disclosure of dark money.
• Reining in lobbying influence. 
• Enforcing ethics and conflict of interest rules for all government officials.
• Empowering small donors with matching funds paid for by lawbreakers, not taxpayers. 

A fact sheet on the For the People Act of 2021 is available here. 

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