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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."

The fight for voting rights does not end tonight. It is up to the Senate to fix this, and nobody is giving up. The 48 Senators who voted tonight to protect the right of every American to vote are not giving up. The advocates, the voters, and Common Cause and our allies are not giving up. Our nation is stronger when every one of us has a voice in choosing our elected officials. The fight for voting rights will continue – in the Senate and in statehouses across the country.

Common Cause is urging every member of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote “yes” on the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, “to ensure that voters can safely and freely cast their ballots, repair and strengthen the Voting Rights Act, protect against election sabotage, stop partisan and racial gerrymandering, and limit the influence of dark money in politics so that billionaires can’t buy elections.” The letter emphasizes that already this year, 19 states have enacted 34 restrictive voting laws that make it harder for Americans – particularly in Black and Brown communities - to have a say in choosing their elected leaders. The letter also notes that Common Cause plans to key-vote this legislation in our Democracy Scorecard, which we send to our 1.5 million members.   

In the United States, we are stronger when every American votes, when every American has a say in the future of this country. President Biden made very clear today that he knows we are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history and that a Republican minority in the U.S. Senate must not be allowed to turn back the clock and allow a new generation of Jim Crow laws to take root. He clearly stated that the Senate rules must not tolerated when they strip Americans – particularly Black and Brown Americans - of their fundamental right to vote. Those rules must be changed if they are abused. Simple majorities in state legislatures are deciding who can vote and who cannot while the filibuster has allowed a minority in the Senate to prevent Congress from acting to prevent voter suppression and protect the voting rights of every American.

Today, Common Cause is emphasizing to every U.S. Senator that voting rights protections must remain their priority and that any reforms to how electoral votes for president and vice president are counted are no substitute for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The letter to Senators emphasizes that some legislatures across the country are already introducing new bills to make it harder for Americans to have a say in choosing their elected leaders. The new bills come on top of last year’s voter suppression push that saw 19 states enact 34 restrictive voting laws.