Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on the Introduction of H.R. 1, the For the People Act

Statement

Congresswoman Lee released the following statement regarding the introduction of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, of which she is a co-sponsor:

"For our first order of business, House Democrats have introduced H.R. 1, the For the People Act, to safeguard our democracy and restore power to the people. I'm proud to co-sponsor this historic legislation for the people.

"Under the Trump administration and a Republican-led Congress, our democracy has been co-opted by special interests and corroded by foreign interference. H.R. 1 will restore Americans' faith in our democratic system by updating our voting laws, reigning in the influence of big money, and rooting out corruption in Washington.

"Central to H.R. 1 is a commitment to strengthening the Voting Rights Act. After the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, state legislatures seized upon the opportunity to enact roadblocks to the ballot box. And it's glaringly obvious that these voter suppression tactics have disproportionately targeted communities of color, students, seniors and the disabled. Sadly, these voter suppression tactics may have even altered the November 2018 election results in states like Georgia and North Carolina.

"As elected officials, we must take swift action to end the rampant voter suppression, disenfranchisement and corruption within our democracy. I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 1 and I look forward to advancing this legislation in the coming weeks."

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