Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1 - For the People Act of 2021

(House Rules)
(Rep. Sarbanes, D-MD, and 222 cosponsors)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021. In the wake of an unprecedented assault on our democracy, a never before seen effort to ignore, undermine, and undo the will of the people, and a newly aggressive attack on voting rights taking place right now all across the country, this landmark legislation is urgently needed to protect the right to vote and the integrity of our elections, and to repair and strengthen American democracy.

H.R. 1 contains a number of provisions to protect the fundamental right to vote and make it more equitable and accessible for all Americans to exercise that right. H.R. 1 would reform redistricting to curtail the gerrymandering that distorts our democracy, and would modernize our elections and make them more secure. Consistent with the Administration's commitment to racial equity, the bill would also expand the tools available to the Justice Department to enforce the voting rights of all Americans.

H.R. 1 would also reform our campaign finance system to amplify the voices of the public, not the powerful, and establish stronger ethics rules for all three branches of government. These provisions would ensure that government works for the people and guard against corruption across the highest levels of government.

As with any bill of this scope and complexity, the Administration looks forward to working with Congress to refine provisions of H.R. 1 as it proceeds through the legislative process to ensure that the bill achieves lasting reform consistent with Congress' broad constitutional authority to strengthen our democracy.