U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) Thursday released the following statement after voting against H.R. 1, an attempted federal takeover of election systems:
“We need bipartisan reforms to assure the American people their votes are counted fully, fairly, and accurately. But H.R. 1 won’t restore confidence in our elections – it will only sow further division and doubt by imposing a one-size-fits-all, Washington-mandated election system on all 50 states.
“It would overrule state voter ID laws like Indiana’s, prohibit signature verification requirements for mail-in ballots, force states to adopt universal vote-by-mail, and legalize ballot harvesting. It would put the federal government in the businesses of funding politicians, funneling corporate money through the U.S. Treasury into campaign coffers. And worst of all, it would empower the FEC to restrict First Amendment rights and weaponize the IRS to go after conservative groups.
“Hoosiers know how to run our own elections. We don’t want California’s chaotic elections forced on our state, and we don’t want Speaker Pelosi’s radical bill that puts politicians first.”
BACKGROUND
H.R. 1 – House Democrats’ top legislative priority for the 117th Congress –passed the House by a vote of 220
to 210. If enacted, it would impose a one-size-fits-all, Washington-mandated election system on all 50 states, including:
- Nullifying state voter protections such as voter ID laws and witness signature verification requirements for mail or absentee ballots;
- Mandating universal vote-by-mail with prepaid postage;
- Mandating automatic and same-day voter registration;
- Legalizing ballot harvesting;
- Mandating ballot drop boxes;
- Requiring two weeks of early voting and extend Election Day;
- Forcing states to count provisional ballots cast outside of the correct precinct;
- Allowing 16-year-olds to register to vote; and
- Automatically giving felons the right to vote;
The legislation would also:
Publicly fund campaigns with a six-to-one match for any
- contributions of $200 or less to a congressional or presidential campaign. The funding would come from a surcharge on corporate and high taxpayer settlements with the federal government;
- Restrict Americans’ free speech rights guaranteed under the First Amendment by requiring organizations that advocate on legislative issues to disclose the names of donors who contribute above a certain threshold;
- Empower the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate and consider the political and policy persuasions of organizations before granting tax-exempt status;
- Make the Federal Election Commission (FEC) a partisan agency, altering the current bipartisan makeup of the six-member commission; and
- Remove states’ ability to determine their own procedures to draw congressional district lines, mandating the use of independent redistricting commissions.
