February 4, 2021

RE: Nearly 150 Groups urge support for the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1)

Dear Member of Congress:

On behalf of the below organizations representing tens of millions of Americans, we write in strong support of H.R. 1/S. 1, the For the People Act. This transformational democracy reform package would help return power to everyday American families and amplify the voices of communities that have historically been marginalized in our democracy.

For far too long, special interests, wealthy donors, and vote suppressors have dominated our politics and attempted to silence the voices of everyday Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities. The For the People Act would help shift power away from bad actors and transfer it to “we the people.”

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. One bill, the For the People Act, addresses many of these problems. Therefore, we are urging Congress to make this pro-voter, anti-corruption legislation a first priority in the 117th Congress.

Common-sense reforms in the For the People Act, most of which are deeply popular across the political spectrum 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.

Many of the critical issues that our nation faces — ensuring quality, affordable health care, creating good paying jobs, combating climate change, and achieving racial justice, to name just a few — cannot be fully solved until we fix our broken democracy. Wealthy special interests have too strong of a grip on the status quo, and we need to first unlock this stranglehold that they have on our political system.

We therefore urge you to support and vote for H.R. 1/S. 1, the For the People Act, early in the 117th Congress to help put the people back in charge of our democracy.

Sincerely,
Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD)

African American Ministers In Action

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

American Friends Service Committee

American Promise

Americans for Financial Reform

Americans for Tax Fairness

Bend The Arc

Brennan Center for Justice

Center for American Progress

Center for Disability Rights

Center for Media and Democracy

Center for Popular Democracy

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Clean Water Action

Climate Law & Policy Project

Climate Reality Project

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

Common Cause

Communications Workers of America

Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces

DC Vote

Defend Democracy

DemCast USA

Democracy 21

Democracy Initiative

Democracy Matters

Democratic Policy Center

Earthjustice

Earthworks

Endangered Species Coalition

End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund

Equal Citizens

Faith in Public Life

Faithful America

Fix Democracy First

Franciscan Action Network

Free Speech For People

Friends of the Earth U.S.

Government Accountability Project

GreenLatinos

Greenpeace USA

Herd on the Hill

Hispanic Federation

JPIC Committee of USA/Haiti Province of Religious of Jesus and Mary

Ladies Who Launch

Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)

Leadership Conference of Women Religious

League of Conservation Voters

League of Women Voters of the United States

Main Street Alliance

March for Our Lives

Maryknoll Sisters

Mi Familia Vota

Moms Demand Action

MomsRising

NARAL Pro-Choice America

National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

National Association of Social Workers

National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC)

National Council of Jewish Women

Natural Resources Defense Council

Network for Responsible Public Policy

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

New American Leaders/New American Leaders Action Fund

Oil Change U.S.

Pax Christi USA

People Demanding Action

People For the American Way

People’s Action

Poligon Education Fund

Population Connection

Pride at Work

Progressive Turnout Project

Protect Democracy

Public Citizen

Public Wise

Publish What You Pay-US

Reclaim Our Democracy

Rock the Vote

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Sierra Club

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team

Small Planet Institute

Stand Up America

Stand for Children

The Loyal Opposition

The Workers Circle

Transparency International U.S. Office

Unitarian Universalist Association

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

Vote.org

We Are Casa

Woman’s National Democratic Club

#VOTEPROCHOICE

20/20 Vision

Selected State/Local Organizations

Arizona

Arizona Advocacy Network

Chispa Arizona

Fuerte Arts Movement

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)

National Council of Jewish Women Arizona

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona

Progress Arizona

Rural Arizona Action

Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter

Nevada

Chispa Nevada

MPower 360

Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada

Silver State Equality-Nevada

New Hampshire

Coalition for Open Democracy and Open Democracy Action

Indivisible New Hampshire

New Hampshire Independent Voters

NH Ranked Choice Voting

New Hampshire Voters Restoring Democracy

New Hampshire Youth Movement

NH Sierra Club

350 New Hampshire

603 Forward

Virginia

Activate Virginia

Arlington Young Democrats

Indivisible Below the Beltway

Madison County Democratic Committee

RepresentUS Virginia – The Clean Money Squad

RISE for Youth

SW Poor People’s Campaign

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington Virginia

Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Virginia

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

Virginia Coalition of Human Rights

Virginia Democracy Forward (VADF)

Virginia Political Cooperative

Winchester Frederick County Democratic Committee

West Virginia

Catholic Committee of Appalachia

Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action

National Association of Social Workers West Virginia Chapter

National Rural Social Work Caucus (WV)

OVEC-Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

Our Future West Virginia

RiseUpWV

West Virginia Environmental Council

West Virginia Poor People’s Campaign

Women’s March West Virginia

WV Citizens for Clean Elections

WV Citizen Action Group

WV Working Families Party