| |
Dear John, One year ago today, the first attack on our nation’s Capitol in more than 200 years resulted in at least five deaths, hundreds of injuries and, as new evidence is revealing daily, only narrowly stopped short of overturning our democracy. The insurrection was fueled by months of lies from then-President Donald Trump and his allies about the results of the 2020 election, which was deemed by experts and dozens of courts as free and fair. In the wake of that insurrection, those lies have only been amplified for politically partisan reasons. Studies have shown election fraud is rare, with the real problem being a lack of participation by a third to half of all eligible voters. Despite that, as the election lies grew louder and more frequent, legislatures in more than a dozen states passed new laws changing the rules on who and how votes can be cast and who and how will count those votes, all aimed at making it harder to vote and easier for partisans to overturn the will of a majority. Next week, the U.S. Senate is expected to again consider two measures – the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (S. 4) aimed at protecting voting rights and restoring confidence. The American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) is renewing its call for the Senate to pass these two bills and is asking business leaders to show their support for this right that is fundamental to a functioning democracy, which is just as fundamental to a functioning market economy. | |
Freedom to Vote, a scaled back version of the more comprehensive For the People Act (H.R. 1) which passed the House last March, addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. The John Lewis VRAA restores the 1965 Voting Rights Act requirement that the Department of Justice review any change in voting practices in states or localities determined to have a history of voting rights violations. This “pre-clearance” provision was gutted by the Supreme Court in its 2013 Shelby County decision. | |
Twice last year, Republicans used the Senate filibuster rules to block even beginning debate on these measures, and they are expected once again to use those rules to prevent Senate debate, let alone action. That is why ASBN also supports reforming those rules, which Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) has promised to bring to the full Senate if Republicans again use those rules to block debate. Please let the Senate know that business leaders support changing the rules to allow debate and a vote on these important efforts to protect the right to vote and support our democracy. | |
