In response to the Senate introduction of the For the People Act (S.1), a comprehensive democracy reform package, Folabi Olagbaju, Greenpeace USA Democracy Campaign Director, said:
“Our democracy should be a powerful tool for advancing solutions that protect our planet and our communities, but it has been hijacked by fossil fuel interests. The reforms in the For the People Act will be a major step in fixing what is broken in our democracy, by getting polluters’ money out of politics, restoring voting rights, and returning power to the people by ending gerrymandering. We know the time for transformative change is now. 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 aiming to drown out the voices of voters, particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous voters, who voted in record numbers this past election cycle. The voting reforms in the For the People Act would stop virtually every voting restriction introduced in state legislatures this year in its tracks.
“We are encouraged that this much needed reform is being taken on as a priority in the 117th Congress. It is now up to the Senate to be true to their word and work in a bipartisan way to prove that this is a democracy that works for all and not big corporations or the rich and powerful. We will no longer continue to be indebted to big money funders, like the fossil fuel industry, seeking to influence our democracy.
“A healthy democracy is key to a healthy environment. As a result of these reforms, we will see a domino effect, with rapid progress on the issues we care about most, climate solutions that protect the environment and expanding affordable healthcare, to passing fair labor laws and creating millions of good-paying union jobs. We must deliver on the promise of democracy that protects the constitutional rights of all Americans to have a voice in how they are governed. The Senate must swiftly pass and President Biden must sign into law these bold and common-sense reforms to build a more just, fair, and inclusive democratic society.”
ENDS
Contact:
Valentina Stackl, Greenpeace USA, [email protected], (734) 276-6260
