AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a landmark voting rights bill, and urged the Senate to pass the important legislation.
“The system is rigged – not just our economy but also our democracy. The concentration of power in the hands of wealthy elites is silencing the voices of working families, especially communities of color,” Saunders said in a statement. “H.R. 1 would loosen that grip, instituting long-overdue reforms to restore accountability and re-enfranchise millions.”
The sweeping legislation would strengthen ethics laws and increase transparency, as well as put teeth back into the Voting Rights Act. H.R. 1 will also simplify voter registration and expand voting options, ensuring that everyone who is eligible to cast a ballot can do so free of obstacles, intimidation or suppression. Here’s more information on the impact the bill would have on American democracy and elections.
“The Senate should take up this bill without delay,” Saunders said.