Dispatches on the For The People Act (Edition #2)

Welcome to the Equal Citizens H.R. 1 Substack!

We are your one-stop-shop for all things related to the For The People Act (H.R. 1). We hope that you will join us in this critical fight for the future of our democracy. Make sure to subscribe if you haven’t already, and share the word about this substack. 

This week the two of us, Kevin Rissmiller and Kate Travis, will be focusing on automatic voter registration (AVR), a key pro-voter provision of the For The People Act. We will also share press hits about the bill, thank a few of the key co-sponsors, and round up the best H.R. 1-themed social posts we’ve seen this week. 

But first, some BREAKING NEWS: According to a letter from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the House of Representatives will take up H.R. 1 during the first week of March!! This is a major development which we will cover in more depth next week when we learn more information. 

Additionally, the Equal Citizens’ podcast, Another Way, is currently doing a series of episodes about the For The People Act, in which Lawrence Lessig and his guests talk about the importance of the bill and the fight for democracy. The latest episode is a timely one about why H.R. 1 is the democracy reform bill that should be prioritized above all others. Listen here.

Provision of the Week: Automatic Voter Registration (Title 1, Subtitle A, Part 2)

What is it?

Automatic voter registration (AVR) is a system that automatically registers citizens to vote when they interact with eligible government agencies, such as the DMV (see the end of this newsletter for a list of agencies that would become AVR-designated by H.R. 1). These governmental agencies share citizens’ information with election officials, seamlessly registering them to vote unless the voter chooses to opt out. The bill also authorizes a one-time transfer of information from state agencies to election officials, allowing AVR to work retroactively, as well.

H.R. 1’s automatic voter registration provisions integrate pre-registration, too; so if you are between the ages of 16 and 18, and you get your driver’s license before you are 18, states will automatically pre-register you to vote. That means when you turn 18, you are ready to participate in the political process. H.R. 1 additionally gives the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) the power to monitor states’ voter registration practices and give them funds to implement AVR, helping to ensure the process works for everyone.

The Brennan Center’s Annotated Guide to the For The People Act has more information about AVR in H.R. 1, which you can read here.

Why does it matter?

AVR represents a fundamental transformation in our voter registration system, from an “opt in” system to an “opt out” system. Currently, individuals have to actively choose to register to vote, a process which can be inconvenient and confusing, and provide a barrier to voting for many citizens. Transitioning to AVR has the potential to add tens of millions to the voter rolls, and the reform would improve the security of our elections, as our voter registration lists would be more up-to-date.

Some states have already implemented AVR and seen huge increases in the number of registered voters (in Georgia, according to the Brennan Center, the rate of voter registration nearly doubled!). H.R. 1 would bring AVR nationwide, allowing all of us to benefit regardless of which state we call home. Active voter participation is the most essential part of a healthy democracy, and automatic voter registration makes voting more accessible to all. 

Needless to say, we are big fans of AVR.

In the News:

The Atlantic explains the disastrous effects that gerrymandering will have on American democracy if Congress does not pass H.R. 1. According to a new Brennan Center report, partisan gerrymandering is likely to be particularly drastic in four southern states: Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. This heightens the need for H.R. 1, which would greatly restrict undemocratic gerrymandering practices for Congressional districts. 

The Intercept argues that the For the People Act is the most important bill that Congress has considered in decades. Arguing that H.R. 1 would help create a government that truly represents the American people, this piece explores a number of the Act’s major provisions, including its voting rights and campaign finance reforms. 

The Brennan Center for Justice makes a vital connection between student loan debt and the need for campaign finance reform. Young people in our country are drowning in student debt. Why? The political influence of the student loan industry. H.R. 1 would free our politicians from wealthy special interests and empower them to pass reforms that benefit the American people, like student debt forgiveness.

And now, a word from our (co)sponsors: 

The For The People Act would not be this close to passing without the strong support of key members of Congress. Each week, we’ll highlight and thank these supporters, and share their own words about why they support H.R. 1.

“Our historic reform effort [H.R. 1] will clean up decades of dysfunction in Washington, return power to the people and build a more just, equitable and prosperous country for all Americans.” - Nancy Pelosi (Joint Statement with other key supports of H.R. 1)

Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has made H.R. 1 a top priority for the Democratic Party.

“Democrats will not stop fighting for [the For The People Act], nor will we ever stop fighting to restore the democratic values that have guided our nation for two and half centuries.” - Chuck Schumer

Chuck Schumer, the Majority Leader in the Senate, has similarly dedicated himself to the For The People Act!

You can read Speaker Pelosi’s full statement here and Majority Leader Schumer’s floor speech here.

Social Media Roundup: 

Let’s be frank: there are A LOT of tweets, posts, and general conversation about the For The People Act. In this section, we give you an overview of the tweets and media you really need to see.

Senator Raphael Warnock asserts his commitment to the fight for H.R. 1:

Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock @SenatorWarnock

Stacey Abrams is right, again. The For The People Act is crucial legislation to protect and expand voting rights in Georgia and across the nation, and is a necessary first step. I’ll keep fighting until we get it done.

washingtonpost.comOpinion | Stacey Abrams: Our democracy faced a near-death experience. Here’s how to revive it.The challenge now is what we do to keep that from happening again.

CREW shares its support for the ethics reforms in the For the People Act:

Citizens for Ethics @CREWcrew

If you don't think members of Congress should be allowed to sit on corporate boards, we have good news. HR 1/S1, the For the People Act, would prohibit it. The time for democracy reform is NOW.

prospect.orgReps Would Have to Resign From Corporate Boards Under Democrats’ Ethics BillAt least 15 House reps currently sit on the boards of private companies.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi supports the For The People Act, highlighting a wonderful article by Vann R. Newkirk II:

Ibram X. Kendi @DrIbram

"The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act cannot be fully considered without its legislative sibling, the For the People Act, championed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi." Excellent piece by Vann R. Newkirk II

theatlantic.comAmerican Democracy Is Only 55 Years Old—And Hanging by a ThreadBlack civil-rights activists—and especially Black women—delivered on the promise of the Founding. Their victories are in peril.

End Citizens United lifts up Rep. Mondaire Jones’ support of H.R. 1:

End Citizens United @StopBigMoney

What @MondaireJones said: “To fix our democracy for the future, we must pass the For the People Act (or HR 1).”

washingtonpost.comRep. Mondaire Jones, one of the first Black openly gay members of Congress, has become the role model he’d never hadGrowing up, Mondaire Jones saw few people just like him. He credits role models and political and cultural changes for giving him the courage to make history.

How you can help:

H.R. 1 is the most important democracy reform bill in half a century, but to get it through Congress, we need your help. That’s why we’ll end this newsletter every week with a few quick and easy ways to join the fight for H.R. 1. This week, you can:

• Subscribe to our substack for the most up-to-date news on H.R. 1

• Call your members of Congress and let them know you support H.R. 1, and they should, too.

• Share our newsletter and the articles included above on social media and tell your friends why you support #ForThePeopleAct!

• Share the resources on H.R. 1 provided below. 

• Follow Equal Citizens on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and if you have questions about H.R. 1 you want us to answer in our substack, tweet at us with #HR1Substack!

• Listen to and share our podcast, Another Way, for even more information on H.R. 1.

Extra, Extra:

If, after reading our newsletter, you still want to know more about the For The People Act, Equal Citizens, or the two of us, you can find more information here!

Relevant Resources:

Here are a few resources on the “For the People Act” if you have questions:

The Brennan Center for Justice created a wonderful guide to H.R. 1. Check it out here.

There is a lot of misinformation about H.R. 1, but here is an article from Media Matters that can help you fact check.

More about Automatic Voter Registration:

If you’re looking for a more in-depth explanation on automatic voter registration in general, you can read this Brennan Center explainer on what the policy does, and how it works in different states.

Here is a longer list of state and federal agencies that would automatically register people to vote under H.R. 1:

• Social Security Administration

• Department of Veterans’ Affairs

• Manpower Data Center of the Department of Defense

• Employee and Training Administration of the Department of Labor

• Center for Medicare and Medicaid of the Department of Human Services

• Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, for those who become naturalized citizens

• Any agency that already has to provide voter information under previously existing laws, such as the DMV

• Agencies that implement Social Security or Affordable Care Act policies

• Agencies that regulate private possession of firearms

• Agencies that have the information of people in public high schools

• Public Universities

• State and Federal Departments of Corrections -- if an individual’s right to vote is restored after serving jail time, the Department of Corrections must automatically register them to vote

• Finally, states can designate other state or federal agencies to contribute to automatic voter registration, meaning this list is just the beginning!

More about us:

Kate Travis is a fellow at Equal Citizens and a junior at Harvard studying History and Literature with a minor in Government. When she’s not fighting for democracy, you can find her running, playing the cello, and drinking copious amounts of coffee (maybe even all at once). Follow her on Twitter at @mkht930. 

Kevin Rissmiller is a fellow at Equal Citizens and a Goodwin-Niering Scholar at Connecticut College majoring in Government and exploring sociology, economics, and applied statistics. In his free time, you will find him at Dunkins or (pre-pandemic) playing ultimate frisbee. Connect with him on LinkedIn.