House Passage of HR1 Marks a Hopeful Day for Democracy and Racial Justice
Following the House passage of the For The People Act (HR1), Ría Thompson-Washington Senior Manager, Voting Rights & Democracy at the Center for Popular Democracy issued the following statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Center for Popular Democracy
press@populardemocracy.org
New York, NY — We applaud the leadership of House members who passed HR1 today. They took action urgently needed to work toward an inclusive, multi-racial democracy and to push back against white supremacy. They heard the call of so many people, including Center for Popular Democracy affiliates and their members, saying now is the time to make the promise of our democracy real for all of us and to chart the course out of crisis.
HR1 is a crucial step forward for democracy and racial justice, removing structural barriers to participation designed to silence Black and Brown communities. The democracy reforms in this bill work together as a comprehensive package to protect the freedom to vote, to unlock big money's grip on our politics, and to allow for fair and diverse representation. HR1 also sets the stage for restoring the Voting Rights Act (HR4) and establishing DC statehood (HR51).
The intensified attacks on voting rights in states like Arizona and Georgia drive home the importance of these federal protections and changes. We must make sure the politicians who rely on voter suppression to cling to power do not take us backward.
As we work at the state and federal level to expand access to our democracy, we look to the Senate to pass their S1 companion bill and join the House in serving the people who elected them, without letting the undemocratic filibuster stand in the way.
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The Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPD trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level.
www.populardemocracy.org