The Senate Returns

Dispatches on the For The People Act (Edition #22)

Hi everyone. I’m on vacation this week, so this week’s dispatch will be shorter than normal. 

The Senate just returned to session and the fight to reform the filibuster and protect American democracy is once again in full swing. We will continue to be your one-stop-shop for anything you need to know about the For The People Act, so don’t forget to subscribe.

On Tuesday, President Biden gave one of the most consequential speeches of his presidency. During the address, he lambasted GOP voter suppression laws across the country and called passing the For The People Act a “national imperative”. The normally mild-mannered president was visibly (and rightfully!) disturbed when describing the anti-democratic bills proliferating across the country, and he summed up the stakes succinctly: "Democracy or autocracy, that's what it comes down to.”

Biden did not mention the filibuster during his speech, a glaring absence. The White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary on Wednesday, however, indicated that the President favors moving to a “talking filibuster”. Hopefully, we will get more details on the White House’s position on the filibuster soon. It’s time for the President to use his influence to ensure the For The People Act becomes law. 

In other news, Democratic state legislators in Texas fled the state in order to thwart the passage of a vicious anti-voter law. By leaving the state, the legislature no longer had a quorum and the special session could not continue. The Democratic caucus traveled to Washington, D.C. and proceeded to meet with Democratic members of Congress, including Senator Joe Manchin, to plead with them to pass the For The People Act. 

Finally, my colleagues, Mahnoor Imran and Adam Eichen published a new op-ed about the fight for the For The People Act. In it, they explain that pundits are wrong to suggest the bill is dead, and they go into detail about the growing movement to turn the For The People Act into law. You can read it here. Please share it widely. 

Upcoming Events:

Tomorrow (July 17), at 8pm (local time), activists nationwide will host Good Trouble Vigils for Democracy, honoring the life and legacy of Rep. John Lewis. These vigils will build pressure for the For The People Act and the restoration of the Voting Rights Act. Find an event near you here.

The Poor People's Campaign continues its 'Season of Nonviolent Direct Action' with actions in D.C. and around the country. Check out the events here.

July 22nd @ 7:30 pm: The Network for Responsible Public Policy will host a webinar breaking down key provisions of the For The People Act. Sign up here.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get more updates about the For The People Act and exciting future events.

In the News:

The Biden administration needs to take democracy issues much more seriously

House Democrats tell Senate: exempt voting rights bill from filibuster

Biden warns that American democracy is under threat — a message targeting many in his own party

Welcome to Jim Crow 2.0

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.

Pramila Jayapal @PramilaJayapal

Passing the For the People Act IS a national imperative. But we can't do it with the filibuster in the way. End it.

Reuters @Reuters

President Joe Biden, under pressure from U.S. civil rights leaders, called it a ‘national imperative’ to pass sweeping voting rights legislation that has stalled in Congress, though he did not outline a path to overcome Republican opposition https://t.co/75Jr0IwRQI https://t.co/k9yM8KHAZV

Equal Citizens @EqualCitizensUS

It is not hyperbole to claim that the For The People Act would bring us closer than we’ve ever been to a government of, by, and for the people. For this reason, grassroots activists are refusing to give up.

inthesetimes.comThe For the People Act Isn’t DeadDon’t believe the pundits—there’s a growing grassroots movement to save American democracy and pass sweeping voting rights reform.

Fix Our Senate @FixOurSenate

Time is quickly running out to preserve our democracy and voting rights. The Senate must abolish the filibuster and pass the For the People Act & the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Ari Berman @AriBerman

Just as LBJ signed Voting Rights Act to make America true democracy, Biden can be president who saved American democracy by signing For the People Act & John Lewis Voting Rights Act But he needs to make case for reforming filibuster to make it happen

motherjones.comBiden pushes for voting protections, but not for ending the filibuster that blocks themAs Texas Democrats flee to DC to lobby for voting bills, advocates wish the president would take a stronger stand.

More Ways to Help!

We are entering possibly one of the most critical moments for American democracy since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We need all the help we can get to push the For The People Act over the finish line! Here are more ways to join the fight to protect American democracy: 

• Call your senators and tell them that you support reforming the filibuster to pass S. 1. You can find your senators’ phone numbers, as well as where they stand on the filibuster, using our handy filibuster tracker!

• Common Cause, Center for Common Ground, RepresentUs, and End Citizens United are organizing regular phone banks in support of the For the People Act. This is a great opportunity to spread the word about S. 1 and help constituents contact their Senators in support of the bill. Check them out here, here, here, and here.

• Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight Action is hosting Hot Call Summer. Plug into their actions here.

• Common Cause also hosts regular text banks on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Sign up to join them here.

• Write a letter to the editor in your local paper sharing your support of S. 1 and urging your Senators to pass it. Not sure how to write a letter to the editor? Reach out to us at info@equalcitizens.us and we can help!

• Share our newsletter, our podcast, the articles included above, and the resources on S. 1 below on social media and tell your friends why you support #ForThePeopleAct

Extra, Extra:

If, after reading our newsletter, you still want to know more about the For The People Act or Equal Citizens you can find more information here! If you have questions about S. 1 you want us to answer in our Substack, tweet at us with #S1Substack! Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more updates throughout the week.

Relevant Resources:

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

Equal Citizens launched a filibuster tracker, so you can see where your senators stand on the filibuster. It also includes their phone numbers and their Twitter handles, so you can get in touch with them directly and push them to support filibuster reform.

The Brennan Center for Justice created a wonderful guide to the For The People Act. Check it out here. They also created an in-depth report about racism and disenfranchisement due to incarceration.

Recently, the Brennan Center also published a report on why the For The People Act brings us closer to an inclusive democracy. Check it out here.

Here is the link to the House website on the For The People Act.

Flood social media with these awesome graphics about the For The People Act! 

There is a lot of misinformation about The For The People Act, and the amount of misinformation will only grow as the fight heats up. That’s why it’s more important than ever to make sure everyone has all the facts on the bill — here is an article from Media Matters that can help you fact check. Additionally, the Brennan Center published a piece to help you decipher fact from fiction. Check it out here.

More About Me:

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.