September 24, 2022
Dear Friends,
This Tuesday, we marked National Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. The right to vote lies at the heart of our democratic system, serving as a xxxxxx against the erosion of every other fundamental right we enjoy as Americans. When we exercise the freedom to cast our ballots, we take action to make our voices heard and to drive positive change in our nation.
Voting is the most effective tool citizens have to make the change we want to see in our communities. But today, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote. If you have not yet registered, I encourage you to click HERE to register today to make your voice heard this November. With the right to vote now under threat from extremists across our nation, exercising your fundamental right has never been more important.
These attacks on our democracy are why I’m working hard to advance legislation that safeguards our elections and upholds the rule of law. Just this week, I joined my colleagues in the House to pass H.R. 8873, the Presidential Election Reform Act. This bipartisan bill would reform the antiquated Electoral Count Act to protect the rule of law and ensure that Congress counts electoral votes in the manner required by the Constitution. Sponsored by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Liz Cheney (R-WY) and informed by their work on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, this legislation will institute significant reforms to ensure nothing like that awful day ever happens again.
The Presidential Election Reform Act will make certain that Congress tabulates every vote from every state fairly and accurately, including by ensuring that Congress receives a single accurate electoral certificate from each state. The bill also provides federal judicial remedies in the event that a state governor refuses to certify the lawful results of a presidential election, and clarifies that state legislatures do not have the authority to “take back” their electoral appointment power after the election if they don’t like the results. This legislation will also enact new counting rules for Congress, reaffirming the ceremonial role of the Vice President in the counting proceedings and raising the threshold for objection to a state’s results from one member of each house to one-third of the members of each house.
By enacting new, clear rules for counting electoral votes and barring states from changing results they don’t like, this bipartisan bill will help ensure that the American people remain the final and only authority on the election of their President.
I’m encouraged by the progress we’ve made in the House on safeguarding our elections from partisan malfeasance and politically motivated bad actors. But there remains much more work to do as we fight to strengthen and expand the fundamental right to vote. That includes passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act. This sweeping legislation will implement historic good government reforms that will fight big money in politics, put an end to voter suppression efforts across our nation, establish tougher new ethics laws for elected officials, and end the partisan gerrymandering that effectively disenfranchises millions of voters each decade.
And last summer, I joined my colleagues by voting to pass more critical legislation to protect the right to vote. H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, strengthens key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, certain portions of which have recently been struck down by extreme judges. I strongly urge the Senate to pass these essential bills without further delay.
My late friend John Lewis fought and bled alongside national heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to extend the right to vote to every American. It is now up to us to honor his legacy and the legacies of all those who fought to protect and expand our democracy by carrying on their mission. Without the right to vote, no other freedom is secure. That’s why I’ll always continue my fight to protect our elections and to ensure that every vote counts.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
September is Passport Awareness Month!
This month, the Department of State is encouraging people to check their passport’s expiration date and remember that many countries require a minimum of six months of passport validity.
To renew your passport or apply for the first time, you can visit travel.state.gov/passports
You can find more information on how to apply at travel.state.gov/applyinperson, or learn how to renew your passport at travel.state.gov/renew
For country-specific passport validity requirements, click the link HERE.
Earlier this year, I hosted a webinar with a representative from the State Department’s Passport Office to provide more information about the passport application and renewal processes.
You can view a full recording of the webinar HERE.
