Washington, D.C. — In anticipation of House passage of H.R. 1, the For The People Act, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following response from Justin Kwasa, LCV Voting Rights Program Director: 

“This is, quite literally, what democracy looks like. For far too long restrictive voting laws and partisan gerrymandering have silenced voices in our communities, disproportionately suppressing people of color, young people, and people with disabilities. Today, thanks especially to the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Sarbanes, we are one step closer to being a country where every eligible voter can participate equitably in our democracy, and where the people’s voice carries more weight than polluter CEOs. It’s clear that a healthy democracy and a healthy environment are inextricably linked, and reforming our democracy means returning power to the overwhelming majority of people in this country who want to see meaningful action on climate change. Now the Senate must follow suit and swiftly pass the For The People Act.”

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Since the 2020 election, 43 states have already introduced, prefiled, or carried more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access this year, intentionally written to suppress the record numbers of Black and Brown voters who overcame barriers to vote last year. Enacting the For The People Act will supersede these suppressive state laws and modernize our voting system to ensure a consistent and accessible process for voters across the country. 

As you are covering H.R. 1 and democracy reforms, Georgia Conservation Voter’s Brionté McCorkle (478-919-5326; brionte@gcvoters.org) and Chispa Arizona’s Laura Dent (520-343-4900; ldent@lcv.org) are available to speak to the specific impacts on their communities in Georgia and Arizona.

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