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Official Statement From MWEG on a Faith-Based Defense of the Freedom to Vote
As faith-inspired activists and advocates for ethical governance, we are deeply motivated by our belief that every individual is an infinitely valuable child of God. Our love of democratic governance is a natural outgrowth of this, as is our passionate desire to protect it. The freedom to vote is a clear political manifestation of the individual worth of souls. Ensuring that right for all citizens is an expression of the second great commandment within our political systems â to love our neighbors as ourselves. We cannot claim to truly love our neighbors if we also deny their constitutional right to participate equally in the formation of our shared government. We…
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Everyone Deserves the Freedom to Vote
Our country is facing a difficult moment, where it is important to reaffirm our commitment to the core principles of democracy, including representation, equality, and freedom. Legislation upholding our voting freedoms is necessary, but S1, the For the People Act, failed to pass earlier this year. This occurred despite the wide bipartisan support among voters for federal protection of voter rights. Republican senators refused to engage with S1, citing concerns that its scope was too broad. In response, Senate Democrats developed the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA), initiated by Senator Manchin. The FTVA legislation contains three main divisions: voter access, election integrity, and civic participation and empowerment (which includes redistricting…
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HR1/S1 â the For the People Act: Ethics Reforms
HR1/S1, the For the People Act, is a democracy reform bill that was reintroduced in the House of Representatives in early January 2021. It passed in early March and now awaits a vote in the Senate. The bill is designed to improve access to voting for all citizens, decrease the harmful impact of big money in our democracy, and strengthen ethics rules and regulations. These documents examine some of the aspects of ethics reforms of HR1/S1. To download the one-page highlights document, click here or on the image below under âHighlights.â To download the in-depth four-page document, click here or on one of the images below under âIn Depth.â Highlights In Depth
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H.R.1 â the “For the People” Act
H.R.1, the For the People Act, is a democracy reform bill that was introduced and passed in the House of Representatives in 2019. It passed 234-193, with one Republican representative voting for it. The bill was never brought to debate nor vote by the Senate majority leader, causing it to fail by default in the Senate. On January 4, 2021, the bill was reintroduced to the House. Even though many of these reforms are bipartisan by nature and have significant public support, current political polarization will make it challenging to garner widespread bipartisan support in Congress. H.R.1 is an expansive bill that champions improved access to voting for all citizens,…
