For the People Act of 2021
U.S. House of Representatives passed a new bill on March 3, 2021 restricting partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts and nullifying obstacles for voters.
Democrats say national rules are needed to make voting more uniform, accessible and fair. The aim is to make it easier for more people to vote, regardless of partisan affiliation. “The anti-democratic forces in the Republican Party have focused their energy on peddling unwarranted and expensive voter restriction measures,” said Stacey Abrams. “We all have a right to take our seat at the table and our place at the ballot box.”
The bill requires political groups to disclose anonymous donors, create reporting requirements for online political ads, and appropriates nearly $2 billion for election infrastructure upgrades. The bill also improves accountability. Future presidents would be obligated to disclose their tax returns, which Donald Trump refused to do.
GOP lawmakers in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan have all pushed for laws that would disproportionately impact voting rights, particularly those of African Americans. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, state lawmakers have filed more than 200 bills in 43 states that would limit ballot access.
In a statement, Biden said he looked forward to refining the measure and hoped to sign it into law, calling it “landmark legislation” that is much needed “to repair and strengthen our democracy.”
The “For the People Act of 2021” automatically registers voters and provides voting rights to felons. It also mandates more than two weeks of early voting, offers voting-by-mail, and expands absentee ballot drop boxes all over the country.
This bill “will put a stop at the voter suppression that we’re seeing debated right now,” said Rep. Nikema Williams, a new congresswoman who represents the Georgia district that deceased voting rights champion John Lewis held for years. “This bill is the ‘Good Trouble’ he fought for his entire life.”
Passage of the bill will depend on the 48 Democratic and two Independent Senators valuing our voting rights enough to reform (or eliminate) the filibuster and force a vote.
