Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – The United State House of Representatives considered H.R. 1 – and inaccurately entitled “For the People” - a bill that undermines the integrity the American electoral process. Congressman Scott Perry opposed the legislation.

“H.R. 1 is anything but “For the People;” it undermines our fundamental First Amendment Rights of Assembly and Free Speech, usurps the rights of state and local governments, and ultimately degrades the integrity of our elections – which, frankly, is the goal. The bill purposefully stifles our open process and honest debate – and is a tragedy for the American People,” said Congressman Perry.

“While we all agree that transparency in our electoral process is critical, no one should be bullied out of the public space. As political violence in our Country becomes more and more frequent, and the vitriolic mob on social media gains steam, it’s never been more critical to protect these liberties. No one should fear for his/her safety for contributing to a cause they support - be it Planned Parenthood or the National Rifle Association. We deserve the right to participate in civil, public discourse without fear of reprisal from the government or our fellow citizens. This bill encourages the suppression of free speech and creates a chilling effect by effectively boxing out people from public discourse if they support either partisan or unpopular speech,” Perry continued.

Organizations from across the political spectrum opposed the bill, notably the American Civil Liberties Union, who wrote: “The upshot of the DISCLOSE Act [embedded in H.R. 1], and the essence of why we oppose it, is that it would chill the speech of issue advocacy groups and non-profits such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, or the NRA that is essential to our public discourse and protected by the First Amendment.”

Beyond the First Amendment infringements, H.R. 1 federalizes many election authorities, which constitutionally are delegated to the States. For instance, the bill will bar states from good faith efforts to bring integrity to their voting lists. It also encourages opportunity for voter fraud by mandating same-day registration, and forcing States to count votes cast outside a voter’s assigned precinct. In addition, it promotes partisan opportunism by transforming the Federal Election Commission into a partisan agency; currently it’s an independent rule keeper and a neutral arbiter of disputes.

The more than 600 page bill was referred to 10 House Committees, but strategically had only one “mark-up;” mark-ups are designed for free and open debate within each House Committee.

“A broken process gives you a broken bill - every time,” Congressman Perry concluded.