Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, Senators Udall and Merkley attempted to bring the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1, the For the People Act, to the floor for a vote via unanimous consent. Senator Roy Blunt blocked the bill from a vote.
The For the People Act is a landmark democracy reform package designed to create nationwide automatic and same-day voter registration, restore the Voting Rights Act to its full power, put an end to partisan gerrymandering, strengthen ethics laws to curb the undue influence of corporate polluters, and fix our broken campaign finance system, among other initiatives.
Earlier this year, Mitch McConnell announced that he would not hold a vote on H.R. 1, stating, “Because I get to decide what we vote on.” McConnell and Senate Republicans have continued to block numerous votes on legislation that would have fully funded commonsense election security measures nationwide.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
"The Sierra Club applauds Senators Udall and Merkley for continuing to bring attention to the importance of protecting our elections and our democracy. Now more than ever, we see the irreparable damage inflicted when corporate polluters, the wealthy elite, and foreign powers exploit our broken political system to corrupt our nation’s laws for their own financial benefit. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have made it clear that they have no intention of protecting our elections or our democracy, only Donald Trump. We demand Mitch McConnell stop playing games with our democracy, do his job, and allow a floor vote on the For the People Act.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.