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Common Cause is pleased to announce that two Common Cause veterans have stepped into the role of vice president at the government watchdog. Longtime Common Cause leader Kathay Feng will step into the role of Vice President for Programs and Stephen Spaulding is returning to Common Cause from his role as Policy Director of the U.S. Senate Rules Committee and will serve as Vice President for Policy & External Affairs. Together the two will help lead Common Cause’s national efforts to reduce barriers to a more representative democracy. They will also support efforts for the organization’s 30 state operations working to create a 21st Century democracy that works for everyone.

Common Cause is urging every member of the U.S. Senate to vote to begin debate on the DISCLOSE Act later this week when the Senate considers the legislation to bring transparency to the secret money groups spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence our elections. The letter emphasizes that Americans overwhelmingly support legislation to eliminate secret money and cites polling showing that 74% of voters–including strong majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats–favor legislative provisions to provide new disclosure requirements like the DISCLOSE Act.

Common Cause today released initial results of its Our Democracy 2022 candidate questionnaire in the leadup to the first election since January 6th. With two months to go before Election Day, more than 100 candidates for Congress, including in certain swing House and Senate races, responded on how they promise to defend and strengthen our democracy.

As 2022 congressional races ramp up, Common Cause is again tracking the positions of every Member of Congress on issues vital to the health of our democracy. Members of the House and Senate have received letters asking them to co-sponsor and support at least 15 democracy reform bills and informing them that their voting and co-sponsorship record will be published in Common Cause’s “Democracy Scorecard,” which will be distributed to our 1.5 million members, as well as to state and national media, during the lead-up to Election Day.

"All Americans should come together now to support the fight for democracy abroad and renew our commitment to a democracy that strengthens the people’s voice at home."