Hi John, 

I wanted to update you on the latest in D.C. and let you know what to expect in the coming weeks. Last Tuesday, Senator Manchin helped introduce the Freedom to Vote Act to save our democracy. 

In my many years working on Capitol Hill, I have never seen a more comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at fixing our broken political system. The Freedom to Vote Act would:

• Make Election Day a national holiday to ensure that no American should have to choose between keeping a job and casting a ballot.
• Beat back anti-voter bills by stopping state legislatures across America from passing voter disenfranchisement bills like we’ve seen in Georgia and Texas.
• Make partisan gerrymandering illegal, ensuring that states draw fair voting maps.
• Shine a light on dark money to illuminate the stranglehold billionaires and special interests have on our political process.
• Make it easier to safely cast a legal ballot by requiring states to allow 15 days of early voting and creating a system for automatic voter registration.
• Increase election security by creating a national standard for voter verified paper ballots.
• Much, much, more ….. 

The next few weeks will be key in Congress if we’re going to pass the Freedom to Vote Act. Here’s what you can expect to see: 

1. The Senate Majority Leader has said that he will call for a vote on the Freedom to Vote Act as soon as this week. While Senator Manchin is trying his best to find any Republican support, we anticipate that this vote will end in a filibuster. This is a necessary step to eventually pass this bill.
2. Lawmakers will need to fix the filibuster to allow the Freedom to Vote Act to pass the U.S. Senate. 
3. If successful, senators take another vote on the Freedom to Vote Act. With the filibuster now fixed, the bill passes through the chamber and is sent to the House of Representatives.
4. The House of Representatives passes the Freedom to Vote Act.
5. President Biden signs the Freedom to Vote Act, saving democracy and fixing our broken political system. 

All this is playing out in Washington, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference from District of Columbia. We don't expect senators to pass the Freedom to Vote Act unless they receive overwhelming pressure from their constituents. Will you call your senators right now and demand they do whatever it takes to pass the Freedom to Vote Act? Your calls will make it clear to senators and their staff that saving our democracy is a top priority for the American people.

I’ll let you know when I have more information to share. But for now, thank you.

Damon Effingham Director, Federal Reform RepresentUs