The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House passes sweeping ethics and elections bill
The House on Friday approved a far-reaching elections and ethics bill — one that would change the way congressional elections are funded, impose new voter-access mandates on states, require “dark money” groups to publicize their donors and force disclosure of presidential candidates’ tax returns.
What happened
Democrats dubbed the bill H.R. 1, meant to signal its place as a centerpiece of their congressional agenda. The measure, which has more than 500 pages, contains dozens of provisions favored by liberal advocacy groups, labor unions and other Democratic allies.
“It’s a power grab, a power grab on behalf of the people,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said ahead of the planned vote.
House Republicans sought to portray the legislation, which passed 234 to 193, as a federal government takeover that would undermine the integrity of elections.
Why it matters
A central provision establishes public financing for congressional elections, giving candidates as much as a 6-1 match for small donations to participating campaigns. Republicans have criticized the measure for funneling taxpayer money to political candidates; Democrats reworked the bill to tap fine revenue from people and companies found guilty of corporate malfeasance.
Another key provision would require nonprofit “dark money” groups that engage in political activity to disclose their large donors — a provision that has generated opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups who argue that disclosure could chill free speech.
The bill also aims to end partisan gerrymandering of congressional district by requiring independent state commissions instead of legislatures to draw lines. It would also create an automatic voter registration system, bar states from disenfranchising felons who have completed their sentences, create stricter rules around voter-roll purges and weaken state laws requiring voters to present photo ID.
What’s next
The bill is headed for a wall in the GOP-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has dismissed it as the “Democrat Politician Protection Act” and made clear it will not get a vote. But Dems and allies believe its passage Friday will help spur action in coming years if and when Democrats solidify control in Washington.