The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed H.R. 1, otherwise known as the “For the People Act,” which Republicans warn will compromise election integrity and ultimately lead to the federalization of U.S. elections.
The Democrat-led House passed the legislation on party lines, 220 to 210. A summary of the bill notes that it “expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting)” and imposes limits on removing voters from voter rolls.
Republicans have warned that the Democrat legislation would vastly reduce the power of the states to control and operate elections at the local level.
“If this bill passes, it puts in all these terrible provisions,” Hans von Spakovsky, manager of the Heritage Foundation’s Election Law Reform Initiative and a senior legal fellow of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, said during a January appearance on Breitbart News Daily.
“It’s a federal micromanagement of the election process, and everything that folks on the left want to reduce the integrity [and] the security of the election process is in there,” he continued.
“If you’re a state like Alabama or Texas that has a voter ID law, you might as well forget it, because this federal law would override all state voter ID laws so they’re now unenforceable,” von Spakovsky added.
Speaking to Breitbart News on Tuesday, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) warned that the “Socialist Democrat Election Fraud Enhancement Act” would do “great damage” to the nation’s election system by taking power away from the states.
“The socialists seek to mandate no-fault absentee ballots, which are the tool of choice for vote thieves. They seek to eliminate the photo identification requirement and, by the way, when the federal government does it, that eliminates all state laws to the contrary,” Brooks said.
“It, to a very large degree, federalizes and micromanages the election process administered by the states. It implemented, as I mentioned, some of the worst changes in election rules that occurred during the 2020 election,” the Alabama congressman continued. “It requires states to restore the ability of felons to vote the moment they’re out of prison, regardless of uncompleted parole, probation, or restitution requirements or what states may believe is the appropriate restoration of voting rights for convicted felons.”
Rep. Lauren Boebart (R-CO) also warned against the legislation during an exclusive interview with Breitbart News last week.
“We have H.R.1 and the Democrats, they call this the ‘For the People Act.’ No. It’s the ‘For the Swamp Act.’ This is something that will federalize our elections. It’s a D.C. takeover of our elections,” Boebert said. “This goes right back to them controlling the language. They act like it’s something that’s great for you. … They act like all of these things are wonderful for the American people, and they’re not.”
“But the ‘For the People Act,’ ‘For the Swamp Act,’ you know, this actually has tax dollars that will pay for politicians’ campaigns. It’s disgusting,” she added. “No tax dollar should go to a campaign.”
As Fox News reported, “A major pillar of the legislation is setting up a new public financing system for congressional and presidential elections to incentivize small-dollar donations”:
The legislation would establish a 6:1 match for each grassroots contribution to a candidate up to $200.
For example, a $200 donation to a House candidate would garner a $1,200 match in public funds for a total contribution of $1,400.
Other Republicans forcefully spoke out against the bill following the passage:
Every single American should be OUTRAGED by this:
Democrats just voted to ban voter ID nationwide and force every state to permanently expand mail-in voting.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 4, 2021
H.R. 1, the “For the Politicians Act,” would allow public funds to be used to finance politicians’ reelection campaigns. There are far better and more urgent needs for public funds – Democrats are again putting their interests above the needs of the American people. pic.twitter.com/Nd7vtoivw1
— Rep. Chris Jacobs (@RepJacobs) March 4, 2021
Tonight, I voted against H.R. 1, an extremely partisan and unconstitutional bill. Protecting state rights is a priority of mine, and this legislation is the “Californication” of our election laws.
Read my full statement: https://t.co/sYp95biBuv
— Rep. Don Bacon (@RepDonBacon) March 4, 2021
THREAD:
H.R. 1, ‘For the People Act’ is NOT for the people.
This bill forces taxpayers to fund political campaigns, infringes on our First Amendment rights, and federalizes our elections without requiring any safeguards against voting irregularities in our election process.
— John Rose (@RepJohnRose) March 4, 2021
Tonight I voted against H.R. 1.
Protecting the integrity of our elections should be of utmost importance to Congress, but this legislation attempts to politicize our institutions, federalize our elections, and fund politicians’ campaigns.https://t.co/sHk1DfYbTR
— Rep. Vicky Hartzler (@RepHartzler) March 4, 2021
At a time when we should be focused on how to get our economy open & running again, the last thing we should be doing is finding a way to send taxpayer dollars into politicians’ campaign coffers.
My complete statement in opposition to H.R.1 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/dHVkuX9WPe
— U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (@boblatta) March 4, 2021
Today I voted against H.R. 1, the “For The Politicians Act,” which amounts to a federal takeover of elections.
This power grab would undermine ballot integrity and restrict the voice of each individual citizen in our election process. pic.twitter.com/EJhL7S92WH
— Rep. Alex Mooney (@RepAlexMooney) March 4, 2021
H.R. 1’s provision expanding the definition of an election-related communication will open the door for bureaucrats in Washington to label any political speech they dislike as election-related. /5
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) March 4, 2021
Elections belong to the people. The so-called “For the People Act” would concentrate power among entrenched Democrat politicians instead. pic.twitter.com/L7rR0M6RMD
— Rep. Michelle Fischbach (@RepFischbach) March 4, 2021
The House passage of H.R.1 appears to mark the beginning of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) plans for a two-week legislative blitz, turning her chamber “into a factory for Democratic priorities.”
Story cited here.
