DeGette urges Congress to support sweeping elections reform bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) took to the House floor today to urge her colleagues to support a massive elections reform bill that she has sponsored aimed at improving voters' access to the polls and stopping the flood of unlimited amounts of undisclosed money from influencing our elections.

"This is, without a doubt, one of the most important issues that we, as a Congress, will take on this year," DeGette said. "And that's why I urge all of my colleagues to get in this fight."

The legislation, known as H.R. 1, would, among other things, require states to automatically register any eligible citizen to vote, and immediately restore voting rights to individuals with felony convictions after they have completed their sentences.

It would also require Super PACs to disclose the identity of donors who contribute more than $10,000, and would nullify the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.

"The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United was one of the most disastrous decisions of our time," DeGette said. "Congress not only has the authority to regulate the way our political campaigns are financed – but, I believe, we have the moral responsibility to step up."

Below is a brief summary of the legislation (H.R. 1) with more details.

Following is a transcript of DeGette's remarks on the House floor today, and here's a link to download video of her speech: https://youtu.be/YVqsPvAVx6s

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette

Remarks on the House floor

March 7, 2019

Madam Speaker, this week the House is considering H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

This bill takes on one of the biggest issues facing our democracy, campaign finance reform.

The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United was one of the most disastrous decisions of our time.

It opened the flood gates to the unlimited amounts of unregulated dark money that is now corrupting our democracy.

And Congress not only has the authority to regulate the way our political campaigns are financed – but, I believe, we have the moral responsibility to step up.

This bill would shed light on the billionaires and special interests groups who are really behind some of the candidates running for office.

And it would help level the playing field by giving the power back to the traditional grass-roots donors.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most important issues that we, as a Congress, will take on this year.

And that's why I urge all of my colleagues to get in this fight to limit unlimited dark money out of the political system once and for all.

And, I yield back.

HIGHLIGHTS OF H.R.1

ELECTIONS REFORMS:

Automatic voter registration – requires state election officials to automatically register to vote any eligible, unregistered citizens.

Restores voting rights for felons – restores voting rights to individuals with felony convictions after they have completed their prison sentences and requires states and the federal government to notify these individuals of their re-enfranchisement.

Online voter registration – requires states to make available online voter registration, correction, and party affiliation designation.

Same day voter registration – requires states to permit eligible citizens to register to vote and cast ballots on the day of a federal election, including during early voting periods.

Prohibits voter roll purges – clarifies for the states that failure to vote is not grounds for removing registered voters from the rolls as was done in Ohio, Georgia and elsewhere.

Paper ballots – requires voting systems in every state to use individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballots that are counted by hand or with an optical recognition device.

Expands early voting and voting by mail – requires states to provide a minimum of 15 days prior to a federal election for early voting and prohibits states from imposing restrictions on a voter's ability to cast a ballot by mail.

Promotes voter access – makes colleges and universities voter registration agencies, requires absentee ballots be posted free of charge, and creates a voter information hotline.

Provides Help America Vote Act funds to states to help implement these voter registration modernization efforts.

Ends partisan gerrymandering – requires states to adopt independent redistricting commissions for the purposes of drawing Congressional districts instead of allowing politicians to pick their voters.

Election security measures – requires the Department of Homeland Security to designate election infrastructure as critical and assess threats to the system at least 180 days prior to a federal election; creates a National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions to counter threats; and requires testing of voting systems at nine months before a federal election.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM:

Disclose super PAC donors – requires super PACs, 501(c)4 groups and other organizations spending money in elections to disclose donors who contribute more than $10,000.

Digital ad transparency – requires digital platforms to maintain a public database of political ad purchase requests of more than $500 and directs online media outlets to implement measures to prevent ads being directly or indirectly purchased by foreign nationals.

Nullifies Citizens United– affirms that the Constitution should be amended to clarify Congress and the States have the authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures, nullifying the Citizens United decision.

Publicly financed small-donor matching system – establishes a voluntary small dollar matching system, funded by wealthy tax cheats and corporate lawbreakers, on donations up to $200 for House candidates who demonstrate broad-based support and reject high-dollar contributions and provides similar voluntary public matching funds for small contributions to participating presidential candidates.

ETHICS REFORM:

Presidential conflicts of interest – requires the President and Vice President to file a new financial disclosure statement within 30 days of being sworn into office and prohibits both the President and Vice President from contracting with the U.S. government.

Taxes and the President – requires sitting Presidents and Vice Presidents, as well as candidates for President and Vice President, to make their tax returns public.

Slowing the special interest revolving door – prohibits senior federal officials from leaving government service and attempting to influence employees in their former agency or office for two years and creates a similar "cooling off" time period for federal procurement officers who leave government service from accepting any compensation from a contractor to which the officer awarded a contract.

Congressional conflicts of interest – forbids Members of Congress from serving on for-profit, corporate boards and codifies rules prohibiting Members, their family and staff from using their official position to benefit their own financial interests.

Ends taxpayer-settled harassment lawsuits in Congress – prohibits Members of Congress from using taxpayer funds to settle any case of employment discrimination acts.