WASHINGTON, D.C.—People For the American Way (PFAW) today praised the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

“The House of Representatives just proved that it is committed to restoring the democratic principles that have been under constant assault by the Trump administration and its allies,” PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker said. “Corruption and voter suppression have been a hallmark of recent GOP rule at the state and federal level, and this bill will grab power back for the people.”

“At the moment, Senator McConnell is currently taking personal responsibility for blocking this pro-democracy legislation in the Senate,” Baker added.  “On Wednesday, when asked by reporters why the bill was not scheduled for a vote, he said, ‘Because I get to decide what we vote on.’ Bluntly, McConnell should either lead the way to protecting our democracy or get out of the way.”

On March 1, 2019, PFAW joined more than 200 other national organizations to send a letter to members of the House, urging them to pass H.R. 1 to “create a democracy that welcomes every eligible voter’s chance to participate in civic life, and a democracy that demands integrity, fairness, and transparency in our nation’s elections.” You can read the letter here.