Hello —
As I’m sure you’ve heard, the House is taking up the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) this coming week, with a floor vote likely as soon as Wednesday (Mar. 3). The Biden administration just now put out a statement of support for the bill, calling it “landmark legislation” that’s “urgently needed to protect the right to vote and the integrity of our elections, and to repair and strengthen American democracy.”
It’s something of a race between Congress and efforts in the states to suppress the vote and gerrymander to the extreme.
Can Congress pass this bill in time to head off the wave of state legislation that would restrict the vote, efforts aimed especially at voters of color? We’re now at 253 bills in 43 states introduced so far this year. They’re based on the same lies about our elections that drove the insurrection.
And will the For the People Act become law fast enough to stop the extreme racial gerrymandering expected to hit states like Florida and Texas in the current redistricting cycle?
Congress has the power and the clear constitutional authority to act, and the For the People Act has the reforms to meet the moment.
The bill covers voting, redistricting, campaign finance, and government ethics, bringing long-overdue improvements to make our democracy include more of the people it serves and respond to their needs.
The Brennan Center helped develop many of the policies in the For the People Act. Please see below for some of our research and analysis about the legislation.
If you have any questions about the For the People Act, I’d be happy to connect you with one of our experts.
Best,
Alexandra Ringe
Director of Media and Strategy | Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law
Email: ringea@brennan.law.nyu.edu | 917 207 2290 (cell)
