For the People: In a Victory for Democracy, U.S. House Passes HR 1

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to pass H.R. 1: The For the People Act. The legislation calls on states to adopt independent redistricting commissions to draw electoral boundaries and includes provisions to stop voter suppression. The bill demands more transparent, equitable and grassroots-driven democracy and aims to pull the curtain back to reveal the corporate campaign sponsors.

In response to today’s vote, Friends of the Earth’s Democracy Campaigner La’Meshia Whittington-Kaminski issued the following statement:

We stand against voter suppression in every form. The devastating impact of gerrymandering affects voters from across the nation on every level of our democracy.

This visionary bill can change the course of discussion of equal representation. Establishing independent redistricting commissions, mandating the disclosure of all campaign donors and making it harder to purge voter rolls — this is what democracy needs to strive for.

Fighting for democracy and fair representation is critical for equitable environmental policies.

Expert contact: La’Meshia Whittington-Kaminski, (919) 793-8767, [email protected]
Communications contact: Patrick Davis, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]