People For the American Way

Senate Overcomes Procedural Hurdle, Will Consider Amendment to Get Big Money Out of Politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 8, 2014

Contact: Layne Amerikaner or Bernardita Yunis at People For the American Way

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 202-467-4999

WASHINGTON — Today the Senate roundly defeated a Republican filibuster that had been preventing the Senate from moving to consideration of the Democracy For All Amendment. The Senate is expected to take up the Amendment following the expiration of post-cloture debate time. People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker released the following statement:

“Achieving a full Senate debate on the amendment is a historic step forward in the movement to take back our democracy from powerful corporations and billionaires.

“The American people are angry that their voices are being drowned out by the roar created by massive spending on our elections. They’ve made clear that they’ll no longer settle for elections that are auctioned to the highest bidders, or for a government sold off to multi-national corporations and billionaires. They know that a representative democracy cannot thrive if the force of  peoples’ voices depends on the size of their bank accounts. By passing hundreds of local and state resolutions, by signing more than three million petitions, and by keeping the pressure on their elected representatives, ordinary Americans have shown that they are willing to fight for an amendment to overturn cases like Citizens United and get big money out of politics.

“Americans have also made clear that they aren’t buying the misleading arguments made by opponents of the amendment. Instead, by wide margins voters align with the idea that an amendment is necessary to make sure our democracy is truly of, by, and for the people.”

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