Press Releases

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal joined House Democrats in voting to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act. The bill is a sweeping democracy reform package which will protect and expand the right to vote and restore integrity and accountability to Washington.

“Many see Congress as a dysfunctional, corrupt institution more beholden to special interests than the public interest. Today, we face several enormous challenges and confronting them begins with making sure our government is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people,” said Rep. Carbajal. “I proudly voted for H.R. 1 to enact the transformational change our government needs. This bill delivers on our promise to clean up corruption, end the dominance of big money in politics, and fortify our ethics laws so Americans can have faith in our democracy again.”

H.R. 1 protects and expands access to the ballot box by taking aim at historical barriers to voting, including cumbersome voter registration systems and limited voting hours. It creates automatic voter registration across the country, enhances absentee voting, and expands early voting opportunities. The bill also promotes integrity in the election process by guarding against foreign interference and ending partisan gerrymandering to restore voter confidence in our elections.

“Our democracy is fragile. We need look no further than the insurrection by a violent mob we witnessed a few short months ago for proof of that fact,” said Rep. Carbajal. “At the very core of our democracy is the right to vote and the measures in H.R. 1 make it easier for more Americans to exercise that right, something every public servant should be able to get behind.”  

Protecting the right to vote is crucial and timely, especially in the wake of a recent wave of voter suppression laws being introduced in Republican-led states across the country. These laws threaten to disenfranchise millions of voters and most often target individuals in minority and low-income communities.

The package will also crack down on the influence of lobbyists and special-interests by fortifying our ethics laws and updating disclosure requirements for political spending. Rep. Carbajal has been a stalwart supporter of campaign finance reform and introduced the Corporate Political Disclosure Act of 2019 to require publicly traded corporations to disclose political expenditures to their shareholders and the general public.

“We live in an era of big, secret, special-interest money in our politics and a lack of accountability. Voters should feel confident that their public servants are serving their constituents, not special-interest groups,” said Rep. Carbajal. “The reforms included in H.R. 1 will help put power back in the hands of the American people and make sure public servants act in the public’s interest.”

Key provisions of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, include:

• Expanding automatic voter registration and same day registration.
• Strengthening vote by mail, early voting and ballot access.
• Combating voter intimidation and voter suppression.
• Protecting elections from foreign interference.
• Fixing partisan gerrymandering.
• Promoting digital ad transparency.
• Forcing disclosure of dark money.
• Reining in lobbyist influence.
• Enforcing ethics and conflict of interest rules for all government officials.
• Empowering small donors with matching funds paid for by lawbreakers, not taxpayers.

More information about H.R. 1 can be found here.

Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24^th congressional district, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and part of Ventura County.

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