House Democrats’ first bill aims for reforms

WASHINGTON—House Democrats on Friday unveiled more details of their first bill for the new Congress, a good-government package that would limit big money in politics, make it easier for citizens to vote and require presidents to disclose their tax returns.

The legislation, called H.R. 1, sets the tone for Democrats as they take the majority in January, though prospects for passage are murky. Republicans will still be in charge of the Senate and the White House, and it’s unlikely they’ll sign off on some of the proposals, which are still in the works.

Still, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi voiced optimism about prospects for the legislation.

“Our best friend in this debate is the public,” Pelosi said. “We believe that it will have great support and that message won’t get lost on the Senate or on the president of the United States.”

The bill would create automatic national voter registration while expanding access to early and online registration. It would increase federal support for state voter systems, including paper ballots to prevent fraud.

Political groups would need to disclose donors, and members of Congress would be barred from serving on corporate boards.

In a nod to President Donald Trump’s resistance to releasing his tax returns, the bill would require presidents to do so. It also would create a Supreme Court ethics code.

Several incoming Democratic representatives joined Pelosi and the bill’s primary author, Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., in promoting the package. They said that tackling ethics and transparency out of the gate in 2019 could help with other priorities such as expanding access to affordable health care and immigration reform.

Sarbanes hopes to have the legislation ready for the first day of the next Congress, Jan. 3. Much of it will be modeled on legislation that he and more than 160 House Democrats introduced in May.

That resolution called for all states to establish independent redistricting commissions to draw the boundaries for future congressional districts, a move designed to reduce partisan gerrymandering that would also take power away from dozens of legislatures around the country.

“Whether that’s the path we will take, we’ll see,” Sarbanes said.