Democracy 21 Applauds Introduction Today by Senator Tom Udall with 46 Cosponsors of the Senate Companion Bill to H.R. 1

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer

Democracy 21 applauds the introduction today of the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1, historic reform legislation recently passed by the House. The Senate version was introduced today by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and a total of 46 cosponsors. The legislation, the For The People Act, was announced at a press conference held this morning by a number of the bill’s Senate sponsors.

Our nation today has a corrupt campaign finance system and a broken political system. H.R. 1 and its Senate companion represent the most important package of reforms to repair the rules of our democracy since the Watergate reforms of the 1970s.

Today’s legislation is a marker bill, not a message bill, as some have mistakenly attempted to label it. The holistic legislation sets forth the blueprint for far reaching, effective solutions to address Washington influence-money corruption, voter suppression, extreme partisan gerrymandering and misuse of public office for private gain.

The American people know these problems are at the heart of a rigged Washington that benefits wealthy donors and moneyed special interests at the great expense of ordinary Americans.

The single most important anti-corruption measure in the Senate bill introduced today and in H.R. 1 is the small donor, matching funds system for presidential and congressional races.

As long as the Citizens United decision stands, influence-money corruption will continue in Washington until federal officeholders and candidates can finance their campaigns without being dependent on or obligated to big money funders. The small donor, matching funds system in these bills provides this essential alternative financing system.

The proposed small donor, matching funds system for the first time will be financed by lawbreakers, not by taxpayers. It will be financed entirely from a new de minimis assessment on federal fines, penalties and settlements paid to the government for corporate malfeasance and major tax crimes. Despite this new financing approach, opponents of these bills have continued to grossly mislead the public by falsely claiming that the American people will pay for this new system through their taxes.

H.R. 1 and its Senate companion measure set forth the standard for future battles that will result ultimately in the enactment of the reforms necessary to revitalize our democracy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will undertake the political equivalent of standing in the schoolhouse door to maintain the status quo and prevent us from repairing the political system. Senator McConnell has been beaten on democracy reforms in the past at a time when Republicans controlled the White House and the House and were within one vote of controlling the Senate.

Senator McConnell will be beaten again.

An initial three-to-five year battle to enact the unprecedented package of democracy reforms will now focus on the Senate and then will be injected into the 2020 presidential and congressional campaigns.

If we get a more responsive President and Senate in 2021, and maintain the majority support for H.R. 1 in the House, we will be on the doorstep of enacting historic anti-corruption, democracy-strengthening reforms. If this does not happen, the battle will continue in the next Congress and for as long as it takes to enact H.R. 1 and the Senate companion bill introduced today.

The Declaration for American Democracy coalition, consisting of 138 organizations including Democracy 21, is prepared to fight these battles for as long as it takes to win.

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