Friend,

Today marks one year since the January 6 attack on our country and our democracy. It also marks one year since I looked out my bedroom window to helicopters circling my neighborhood, dozens of cop cars racing down the street, and emergency alerts bombarding my phone. 

Exactly one year ago today, armed, far-right militants stormed the U.S. Capitol and sought to overturn the will of voters. As many watched this unfold on TV, residents of Washington, DC, like myself, watched it occur from the windows of our apartments, only minutes from the Capitol.

While many of us in Washington knew these far-right rioters were coming to our city, none of us knew the horrific scenes that would occur that day. Armed soldiers guarding security perimeters. Pipe bombs in our streets. Our neighborhoods and parks fenced off. In total, seven people died in connection to the insurrection, and many more were injured in the violence. 

We watched in fear and horror as these militia members tore through our city and endangered our lives — only to have 147 Republican members of Congress vote to throw out millions of Americans’ ballots mere hours after this attempted insurrection.

January 6, 2021, was a dire moment for our democracy — and a year later, the threats it revealed have not gone away. 

The Republican Party has had a year to denounce right-wing extremists’ all-out-assault on our democracy. Instead, they’ve fully embraced dangerous disinformation tactics to justify new voter suppression laws and stoke mistrust in our elections. 

That’s why now more than ever, it’s imperative that Democrats in Congress swiftly pass legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act to safeguard the right to vote, prevent political interference in our elections, and restore faith in our democracy. 

Thankfully, the House of Representatives already passed the Freedom to Vote Act in 2021. This year, it’s on Senate Democrats to defend our democracy and deliver for the American people. Can we count on you to speak out?

Write to your senators: Bypass the filibuster and protect our fundamental right to vote by passing the Freedom to Vote Act.

Thank you,

Erin Swauger
Social Media Manager
NextGen America