[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 10, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E228-E231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2021

  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise to include in the Record the 
following letters of support from religious organizations for H.R. 1, 
as amended.

                                           Faithful Democracy,

                                                 December 4, 2020.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Speaker of the House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Kevin McCarthy,
     Minority Leader, House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Mitch McConnell,
     Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Charles E. ``Chuck'' Schumer,
     Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer and 
     Leader McCarthy: The Faithful Democracy interfaith coalition 
     writes in support of the For the People Act, the 
     transformational democracy reform bill that would help return 
     power to everyday Americans. While we represent a diversity 
     of beliefs and traditions, we unite around the common goal of 
     creating a healthier, thriving democracy. The thirty national 
     faith-based organizations and congregations below urge 
     Congress to prioritize passage of this pro-voter, anti-
     corruption legislation in the 117th Congress to advance the 
     nation towards that goal.
       We recognize that, on a practical level, only a healthy, 
     well-functioning democracy has the capacity to attend to the 
     pressing needs that our faith calls us to address: the COVID 
     pandemic, systemic racism, climate change, hunger, violence, 
     poverty, healthcare and more. The challenges that face our 
     nation are serious and deeply concerning--and include 
     partisan gridlock among policy-makers. Faithful Democracy 
     partners are committed to structural democracy reforms that 
     lay a solid foundation for rebuilding our nation.
       Democratic governance is the best existing system to 
     peacefully hold a diversity of ideas, to enable healthy 
     compromise among competing interests and to instill a sense 
     of belonging among all its members. However, ours falls short 
     since our democratic systems are open to manipulation by 
     those seeking to amass power or undercut the common good for 
     special interests.
       The 2020 election has underscored the urgent need for 
     transformational democracy reform. Across the nation, 
     Americans experienced unprecedented voter suppression, 
     historic levels of dark money spent to drown out the voices 
     of everyday Americans, and rampant ethical abuses by special 
     interests. The comprehensive For the People Act addresses 
     many of these problems, opening the door for legislative 
     solutions. The bill has three overarching goals: protect and 
     strengthen the sacred right to vote, end the dominance of big 
     money in politics, and implement anti-corruption, pro-ethics 
     measures to clean up government.
       This historic legislation passed the House of 
     Representatives by a wide margin in March 2019 and was 
     cosponsored by 46 members of the Senate. President-elect Joe 
     Biden has stated that a ``first priority'' of his 
     administration will be to lead on a comprehensive set of 
     democracy solutions like those reflected in the For the 
     People Act. House and Senate Democratic leaders have 
     similarly said they will prioritize this once-in-a-generation 
     legislation. The undersigned organizations with the Faithful 
     Democracy coalition urge Congress to take bipartisan action 
     on the election reform, anti-corruption and voting rights 
     provisions encompassed in the For The People Act as a first 
     priority in the new Congressional session.
       Alliance of Baptists; American Friends Service Committee; 
     Church World Service; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of 
     the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces; Congregation of Sisters of 
     St. Agnes; Creation Justice

[[Page E229]]

     Ministries; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Faith in 
     Public Life; Faithful America; Franciscan Action Network; 
     Friends Committee on National Legislation; Islamic Society of 
     North America (ISNA); Hindus for Human Rights; Leadership 
     Conference of Women Religious; Mormon Women for Ethical 
     Government.
       National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good 
     Shepherd; National Council of Churches; National Council of 
     Jewish Women; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Pax 
     Christi USA; Poligon Education Fund; Presbyterian Church 
     (U.S.A.), Office of Public Witness; Religious Coalition for 
     Reproductive Choice; Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive 
     Hindus; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team; 
     Society of the Sacred Heart United States Canada Province; 
     The United Methodist Church--General Board of Church and 
     Society; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalists 
     for Social Justice; United Church of Christ, Justice and 
     Witness Ministries.
                                  ____



                                         Faith in Public Life,

                                                   Washington, DC.
       Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of 40,000 faith leaders 
     across the country, I write in support of the For the People 
     Act, the transformational democracy reform bill that would 
     help return power to everyday Americans. As people of faith, 
     we believe every person's inherent dignity can only be upheld 
     if every person's right to vote is ensured and protected. 
     Therefore, we are urging Congress to prioritize passage of 
     this pro-voter, anti-corruption legislation in the 117th 
     Congress to advance the nation towards that moral goal. Along 
     with prioritizing action on the For the People Act (H.R. 1), 
     we call on Congress to also pass the John R. Lewis Voting 
     Rights Act (H.R. 4).
       Our nation faces numerous pressing challenges like the 
     COVID pandemic, systemic racism, the climate crisis, and 
     healthcare inequities. We can only solve these problems with 
     a healthy, inclusive democracy where all people have a voice. 
     Leaders must take swift action to protect the right to vote 
     and to strengthen our democratic foundations from abuse and 
     manipulation by the powerful and the wealthy at the expense 
     of the historically marginalized and most vulnerable people 
     in our nation.
       The 2020 election has underscored the urgent need for 
     transformational democracy reform. Across the nation, 
     Americans experienced unprecedented voter suppression, 
     historic levels of dark money spent to drown out the voices 
     of everyday Americans, and rampant ethical abuses by special 
     interests in the 2020 elections. One sweeping bill, the For 
     the People Act, addresses many of these problems.
       The common-sense reforms in this legislation, which are 
     deeply popular and have passed in many states and localities, 
     aim to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and 
     strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the 
     dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing 
     anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. 
     For far too long, Black and Brown communities have been 
     silenced through voter disenfranchisement and government 
     prioritizing corporation interests above our communities 
     needs. H.R. 1 would work to remedy centuries of injustice and 
     advance racial equity in our country. This is a moral issue 
     and Congress must act now.
       This historic legislation gained momentum early in the 
     116th Congress, passing the House of Representatives by a 
     wide margin in March 2019 and garnering cosponsorshlp by 
     nearly half of the Senate upon introduction. President-elect 
     Joe Biden has stated that a ``first priority'' of his 
     administration will be to lead on a comprehensive set of 
     democracy reforms like those reflected in the For the People 
     Act. Again, on behalf of Faith in Public Life, I urge 
     Congress to prioritize bipartisan action on the For the 
     People Act in the 117th Session.
           Sincerely,
     Rev. Jennifer Butler.
                                  ____



                                    Franciscan Action Network,

                                Washington, DC, November 25, 2020.
       Dear Member of Congress: The Franciscan Action Network 
     writes in strong support of the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 
     949), the transformational democracy reform package that 
     would help return power to everyday American families. We 
     strongly urge you to prioritize passage of this pro-voter, 
     anti-corruption legislation in the 117th Congress. Along with 
     the passage of the For the People Act, Congress must also 
     prioritize the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act (H.R. 4) and 
     legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. (H.R. 51).
       The 2020 election has underscored the urgent need for 
     transformational democracy reform. Across the nation, 
     Americans experienced unprecedented voter suppression, 
     historic levels of dark money spent to drown out the voices 
     of everyday Americans, and rampant ethical abuses by special 
     interests. One sweeping bill, the For the People Act, 
     addresses many of these problems. This historic legislation 
     passed the House of Representatives with unanimous Democratic 
     support in March 2019 and was cosponsored by all members of 
     the Senate Democratic Caucus. President-elect Joe Biden has 
     stated that a ``first priority'' of his administration will 
     be to lead on a comprehensive set of democracy solutions like 
     those reflected in the For the People Act. House and Senate 
     Democratic leaders have similarly said they will prioritize 
     this once-in-a-generation legislation. In fact, several days 
     after the election, Speaker Pelosi reiterated her strong 
     support for the For the People Act by saying the House ``will 
     proudly pass our election reform, anti-corruption and voting 
     rights legislation by passing H.R. 1 on the first day of the 
     new Congress.''
       The common-sense reforms in this legislation, which are 
     deeply popular and have passed in many states and localities, 
     aim to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and 
     strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the 
     dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing 
     anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. 
     Without structural democracy reform, our nation will remain 
     unable to fully address important substantive priorities for 
     the American people, such as expanding affordable healthcare 
     and stopping the spread of COVID-19, protecting the 
     environment, and creating millions of good-paying jobs. As 
     Franciscans, our shared Christian faith teaches us that we 
     must recognize each person as a gift from God, and that we 
     must emphasize the importance of the essential humanity and 
     dignity of each person. And, as Pope Francis calls us to 
     ``meddle in politics'' we interpret this concept as a 
     requirement that all Americans must have an equal say in the 
     public square.
       Again, on behalf of the Franciscan Action Network, we ask 
     you to ensure that the For the People Act is the first 
     priority when the new Congress is convened.
           Sincerely,

                                                 Jason Miller,

                                        Franciscan Action Network,
     Director of Campaigns and Development.
                                  ____

                                              Friends Committee on


                                         National Legislation,

                                Washington, DC, February 18, 2021.
       Dear Member of Congress: We ask that you support and co-
     sponsor S. 1. Representative democracy is the very foundation 
     of our nation. It is a foundation cracked with a legacy of 
     exclusivity, the 3/5ths compromise, disenfranchisement, and 
     suppression. Access to voting has been used to secure power 
     for some and deprive it from others. As Quakers, we believe 
     that there is that of God in everyone. No one has less value. 
     Unfortunately, voter suppression undermines democracy and 
     disproportionately affects Black and brown communities.
       State legislative bills across the country have the effect 
     of shutting out millions like voter caging in Ohio or poll 
     closures in Georgia. For instance, the Georgia legislature 
     has been proposing a number of measures to make it harder to 
     vote like restricting new voters from voting in the runoff. 
     We have seen similar restrictive measures across the country 
     to avoid an electoral outcome and rig the process for one 
     party. This is immoral.
       Our democracy can live up to its potential only if the 
     government ensures open access to public office and electoral 
     processes; curbs the influence of money and corporate power; 
     safeguards the integrity of the voting process without 
     raising unnecessary barriers; provides full participation for 
     disenfranchised people, including those currently and 
     formerly incarcerated; and protects and secures electoral and 
     voting procedures from foreign and domestic interference.
       We need to expand voting rights to all Americans and take 
     more measures to ensure the integrity of our elections. We 
     must reduce voter suppression tactics like poll closures, 
     exact match, signature match, voter-caging, and a number of 
     other elements deceptively presented as measures to protect 
     the voting process. The influence of big money in politics 
     has a chilling effect on the electorate who cannot pay-to-
     play. That is why we, Friends Committee on National 
     Legislation, urge you to support the For the People Act of 
     2021.
       It is no secret there is an ever-growing trend of mistrust 
     and frustration with government nationwide. The For the 
     People Act offers a key opportunity to restore faith in 
     American democracy.
       Elements of S.1 that would go a long way to restore the 
     integrity of our elections:
       Establishes Election Day as a national holiday to allow 
     everyone the vote
       Institutes same-day and automatic voter registration
       Simplifies and improves voter registration processes
       Prohibits voter intimidation and voter-caging
       Eliminates gerrymandering through redistricting commissions
       Requires 15 consecutive days of early voting
       Declares Congress' intent to protect access to native 
     voters
       Restores voting rights to the formerly incarcerated
       Requires disclosure of donations above $10,000 to 
     organizations engaged in electioneering
       Establishes small-donor financing, funded from fines on 
     corporate malfeasance and tax crimes, to stop the deepest 
     pockets from controlling the debate
       Prohibits foreign money in elections via shell companies, 
     social welfare organizations, or super PACs.
       For far too long, flaws, or even active voter suppression, 
     in our election system have been neglected. The Friends 
     Committee on National Legislation supports the For the People 
     Act because it reflects our belief that every American should 
     have their voices heard through secure elections. Laws should 
     include measures to assure voting rights and

[[Page E230]]

     political voice. We believe in an ethical government that 
     works solely in the interest of the people. Quakers are 
     united in our support for transparent and fair elections. We 
     encourage you to support this legislation so we can actualize 
     a more inclusive, secure, and moral democracy for today and 
     generations to come.
           Sincerely,

                                             Diane E. Randall,

                                        General Secretary, Friends
     Committee on National Legislation (FCNL).
                                  ____

                                             Leadership Conference


                                           of Women Religious,

                                                  January 6, 2021.
       The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is 
     deeply concerned about the state of our nation and the future 
     of our democracy and we are committed to using our voice in 
     the public square to speak about matters of justice and moral 
     good. In this increasingly divided nation, we are called to 
     take action to repair our democracy and contribute to the 
     work of building a more perfect union. That is why we urge 
     you to support the For the People Act.
       We consider the protection of the rights of the people to 
     free and fair elections, equitable and fair representation, 
     and accountability for elected leaders to be among the most 
     critical moral issues of our day. That is why we are urging 
     Congress to prioritize passage of this pro-voter, anti-
     corruption legislation. That is why we are asking you to take 
     immediate action on the For the People Act (H.R. 1) and the 
     John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4).
       Only a healthy democracy has the capacity to attend to the 
     pressing needs our faith, and our national values, call us to 
     address: the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, economic 
     inequality, climate change, justice for migrants, hunger and 
     poverty, violence of every type, access to healthcare and 
     more. We must take swift action to protect voting rights, 
     strengthen our democratic institutions, and put an end to 
     manipulation by wealthy and powerful special interests at the 
     expense of the historically marginalized and most vulnerable 
     people in our nation.
       The 2020 election underscored the urgent need for 
     transformational reform. The For the People's Act coupled 
     with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act go a 
     long way toward addressing the voter suppression, dark money 
     and ethical abuses that threaten our democracy.
       The common-sense reforms proposed in this legislation aim 
     to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and 
     strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the 
     dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing 
     anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. 
     They will go a long way toward fixing our democracy.
       On behalf of LCWR's 1300 members, who represent more than 
     32,000 Catholic sisters in the United States, we urge members 
     of Congress on both sides of the aisle to prioritize 
     bipartisan action on the For the People Act. We pledge to 
     continue to work with all people of good will to promote the 
     common good as we to continue to build God's beloved 
     community.
                                  ____



                             National Council of Jewish Women,

                                 Washington, DC, December 4, 2020.
       Dear Member of Congress: I am writing on behalf of the 
     180,000 advocates of the National Council of Jewish Women 
     (NCJW) in strong support of a transformational democracy 
     reform package that would help return power to everyday 
     Americans--For the People Act (HR1/S949). I urge you to 
     prioritize passage of this critical measure in the 117th 
     Congress.
       The common-sense reforms in HR 1/S949, which are deeply 
     popular and have passed in many states and localities, aim to 
     accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and 
     strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the 
     dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing 
     anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. 
     Without structural democracy reform, our nation will remain 
     unable to fully address important substantive priorities 
     critical amid a pandemic, including protecting and expanding 
     affordable health care, stopping the spread of COVID-19, and 
     ensuring jobs and wages that allow people to support 
     themselves.
       The 2020 election has underscored the urgent need for 
     democracy reform. Across the nation, Americans experienced 
     unprecedented voter suppression, historic levels of dark 
     money spent, and rampant ethical abuses--all with the goal of 
     drowning out particular voices. For the People Act addresses 
     many of these challenges. NCJW was proud to support this 
     historic legislation when it was first introduced. And, we 
     were thrilled to mobilize our advocates in support of the 
     bill, which passed the House in March 2019.
       President-elect Joe Biden has stated that a ``first 
     priority'' of his administration will be to lead on a 
     comprehensive set of democracy solutions like those reflected 
     in the For the People Act. With your support, we can help 
     make these important improvements a reality.
       Again, I hope you will make HR 1/S949, For the People Act, 
     a priority when the 117th Congress convenes. Our democracy 
     must work for everyone.
           Sincerely,

                                                  Jody Rabhan,

                                             Chief Policy Officer,
     National Council of Jewish Women.
                                  ____

                                                 Network Lobby for


                                      Catholic Social Justice,

                                Washington, DC, November 20, 2020.
     Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren,
     House Administration Committee,
     Washington DC.
       Dear Representative Lofgren: NETWORK Lobby for Catholic 
     Social Justice is writing to express our steadfast support 
     for the For the People Act (HR1/S.949), the transformational 
     democracy reform package that would lay the necessary 
     foundation to heal and rebuild our nation. We strongly urge 
     you to prioritize passage of this pro-voter, anti-corruption 
     legislation in the 117th Congress. It is needed now, more 
     than ever.
       The 2020 election in COVID only underscored the urgent need 
     for transformational democracy reform. Across the nation, 
     Americans witnessed unprecedented voter suppression, historic 
     levels of dark money spent to drown out the voices of 
     everyday Americans, and rampant ethical abuses by special 
     interests. We know that the For the People Act addresses many 
     of these problems. The American people have shown that our 
     democracy can still deliver, despite all of its shortfalls, 
     and Congress must in turn strengthen and protect our 
     democracy.
       NETWORK Lobby is a social justice advocacy organization 
     with a legacy of advancing the common good through federal 
     policy; our work is predicated on a functional democracy that 
     is accountable to the people. This accountability and 
     responsiveness is diminishing as the influence of special 
     interest and dark money in politics grows and as the voices 
     of individual American voters are stifled through voter 
     suppression and gerrymandering. Our democracy needs reforms 
     to recognize and respond to the needs of the most vulnerable 
     among us in the midst of a pandemic and an economic crisis.
       The reforms in this legislation are popular with the 
     American people and are already in place in many states and 
     localities. This comprehensive package aims to accomplish 
     three overarching goals: protecting and strengthening the 
     sacred right to vote; ending the dominance of big money in 
     politics; and implementing anticorruption, pro-ethics 
     measures to clean up government. Without structural democracy 
     reform to begin restoring the faith of the electorate in 
     government accountability, our nation will remain divided and 
     unable to overcome the multiple crises currently at hand.
       The momentum gained in 2019 and the unanimous support by 
     Democrats in both chambers must now be driven forward with 
     fresh energy. President-elect Joe Biden has stated that a 
     ``first priority'' of his administration will be to lead on a 
     comprehensive set of democracy solutions like those reflected 
     in the For the People Act. House and Senate Democratic 
     leaders have similarly said they will prioritize this once-
     in-a-generation legislation. NETWORK Lobby for Catholic 
     Social Justice--on behalf of our 90,000 members across the 
     nation--is asking you to ensure that the For the People Act 
     is a first priority when the new Congress is convened. These 
     reforms are desperately needed and overwhelmingly desired by 
     the American people.
           Sincerely,

                                          Sr. Simone Campbell,

                                               Executive Director,
     NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
                                  ____



                                             Sisters of Mercy,

                             Silver Spring, MD, February 19, 2021.
     Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Pelosi: The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 
     is a congregation of Catholic women religious committed to 
     work in communion with others who seek a more just and 
     inclusive world, and as such, we write in strong support of 
     the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1).
       This democracy reform package is critical to overturning 
     voter suppression that disproportionately disenfranchises 
     Black, Latino and young Americans and to limiting the undue 
     influence of monied interests.
       The Sisters of Mercy believe ``racism is an evil affecting 
     us all.'' We work to mobilize sisters and associates in 
     recognizing and dismantling institutional racism and believe 
     that upholding the voting rights of marginalized Americans is 
     a critical step towards dismantling the systemic racism that 
     underlies so much of our nation's infrastructure.
       It became all too clear over the past three months how 
     fragile our democracy is. We came frighteningly close to an 
     overturned election as President Trump and his loyalists, 
     including many elected officials, demanded that ballots be 
     discarded from cities with large Black populations. This 
     played out to its logical end with the violent siege on the 
     U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th.
       The common-sense reforms in the For the People Act aim to 
     (1) protect and strengthen the sacred right to vote, (2) end 
     the dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implement 
     anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. 
     Without structural democracy reform, our nation will remain 
     unable to fully address important substantive priorities for 
     the American people. These include expanding affordable 
     healthcare and stopping the spread of COVID-19, eliminating 
     systemic racism, protecting the environment and minimizing 
     the threat of climate

[[Page E231]]

     change, and creating pathways to legal status for immigrants 
     who are contributing members of our communities.
       On behalf of the over 2300 Sisters of Mercy and the 
     thousands of Mercy Associates across the United States, we 
     urge you to demonstrate your leadership and ensure that the 
     For the People Act is a priority in the 117th Congress.
           Sincerely,

                                              Margaret Conley,

                                 Director, Sisters of Mercy of the
     Americas Justice Team.
                                  ____

                                           Unitarian Universalists


                                           for Social Justice,

                                Washington, DC, February, 8, 2021.
       Dear Member of Congress: We write in support of the For the 
     People Act (HR1/S1), the transformational democracy reform 
     bill that would help return power to everyday Americans. We 
     consider fair representation and accountability for elected 
     leaders to be a moral issue of utmost importance. After the 
     January 6th attack on the US Capitol, the urgency of 
     democracy reforms to address our broken systems could not be 
     more apparent. We are urging Congress to prioritize passage 
     of this pro-voter, anti-corruption legislation.
       On a practical level, only a healthy, well-functioning 
     democracy has the capacity to attend to any of the pressing 
     needs our faith calls us to address: the COVID pandemic, 
     systemic racism, climate change, hunger, violence, poverty, 
     healthcare and more. On a moral level, leaders must take 
     swift action to protect the right to vote and to strengthen 
     our democratic foundations from abuse and manipulation by the 
     powerful and the wealthy at the expense of the historically 
     marginalized and most vulnerable people in our nation.
       The 2020 election cycle and the insurrection on January 6th 
     have underscored the urgent need for transformational 
     democracy reform. Across the nation, Americans experienced 
     unprecedented voter suppression, historic levels of dark 
     money spent to drown out the voices of everyday Americans, 
     and rampant ethical abuses by special interests. The number 
     of Americans misled into questioning the results of a safe 
     and secure election demonstrates the fragility of our 
     democracy and the urgency of taking concrete actions to 
     shore-up public trust. One sweeping bill, the For the People 
     Act (HR1/S1), addresses many of these problems.
       Our organization Unitarian Universalists for Social justice 
     focuses on four major issues, all of which would be helped 
     significantly by fixing our democracy: economic justice, 
     immigration justice, environmental justice, and democracy. 
     This historic legislation has significant momentum in 
     Congress with priority designation in both chambers. On 
     behalf of UUSJ we urge Congress to pass the For the People 
     Act (HR1/S1) quickly in the 117th Session.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Pablo DeJesus,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____

                                                 Church & Society,


                                  The United Methodist Church,

                                Washington, DC, February 22, 2021.
       Dear Member of Congress: As General Secretary of The United 
     Methodist Church's General Board of Church and Society, I 
     write in support of the For the People Act (HR1), the 
     transformational democracy reform bill that would help our 
     political system be protected by strengthening the power of 
     everyday Americans to determine our nation's leaders. Our 
     ministry of justice and peace is connected to communities of 
     faith across the United States and around the world who 
     consider fair representation and accountability for elected 
     leaders to be a moral issue of utmost importance. I am urging 
     Congress to prioritize passage of this legislation which 
     increases the overall transparency and effectiveness of our 
     democratic systems.
       The General Board of Church and Society of The United 
     Methodist Church is the public policy agency of The United 
     Methodist Church, a global denomination with more than eight 
     million members in the United States.
       We, as a denomination, understand that the strength of our 
     political life together is determined by ``the full and 
     willing participation'' of its citizens (2016 Book of 
     Discipline, para. 164a ``Political Responsibility'').
       The United Methodist Church affirms the right to vote for 
     all adult citizens as a basic human right.
       ``We hold governments responsible for the protection of the 
     rights of the people to free and fair elections . . . The 
     form and the leaders of all governments should be determined 
     by exercise of the right to vote guaranteed to all adult 
     citizens.'' (2016 Book of Discipline, para. 164a ``Basic 
     Freedoms and Human Rights.'')
       The United Methodist Church calls for a vision of beloved 
     community founded on economic and racial justice, including 
     strengthening voting rights protections, in light of 
     continued systemic racism that threatens to undermine 
     provisions for fair and free elections for all citizens.
       The For the People Act (HR1) makes sure that every citizen 
     is able to exercise their civic duty free of voter 
     suppression and murky campaign financing.
       Too many Americans, particularly in communities of color, 
     have been unjustly prevented from exercising their right to 
     vote through extraordinary and deeply discriminatory voter 
     suppression laws. Strong and dedicated community leaders are 
     prevented from pursuing public office simply because of the 
     overwhelming financial burden of running a campaign. On top 
     of these deep systemic issues, the number of Americans in the 
     2020 election cycle misled into questioning the results of a 
     general election with historic voter turn-out demonstrates 
     the fragility of our democracy and the urgency of taking 
     concrete actions to shore-up public trust. The For the People 
     Act (HR1) addresses many of these problems.
       The common-sense reforms in this legislation, developed 
     through years of bi-partisan efforts and passed in many 
     states and localities, aim to accomplish three overarching 
     goals: (1) protecting and strengthening the right to vote, 
     (2) reducing the influence of big money in politics, and (3) 
     implementing anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures.
       This historic legislation has significant momentum in 
     Congress with priority designation in both chambers. As a 
     United Methodist faith leader, I urge Congress to pass the 
     For the People Act (HR1) quickly in the 117th Session.
           Sincerely Yours,
     Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe,
         General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, 
           The United Methodist Church.

                          ____________________