WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are unveiling a comprehensive elections and ethics reform package that targets what they call a “culture of corruption in Washington” and aims to reduce the role of money in politics.
The bill, among the first to be considered as Democrats take control of the House after eight years, would make it easier for citizens to register and vote, tighten election security and require presidents to disclose their tax returns.
Dubbed the “For the People Act,” the legislation marks an effort by Democrats to set a tone of good government as they take the majority following historic gains in the midterm elections.
Rep. John Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat who is leading the reform effort, said the bill demonstrates that Democrats are “responding directly to the American people and what they want to see in our democracy,” as shown by the election results.
The bill “sets the table” for Democratic control of the House over the next two years, Sarbanes told reporters this week. Passage will prepare the way for efforts to raise the minimum wage, lower the price of prescription drugs and protect the environment, he said.
The bill “tells the public, ‘Pull up a chair. You’re at the table,’” rather than watching events from afar, Sarbanes said.
While some elements of the bill have bipartisan support, the overall package is unlikely to win approval in the Republican-controlled Senate. Opposition also is expected from President Donald Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, has pronounced the reform measure dead on arrival in the Senate, a claim Sarbanes embraced as a badge of honor.
“You could stamp on this thing ‘McConnell-rejected,’ and it would immediately give it more credibility,” Sarbanes said. The legislation was not built for McConnell or any lawmaker, Sarbanes added: “This was built for the public.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also touted the bill, saying it would return power to the American people.
The wide-ranging legislation will “restore integrity to government, so that people can have confidence that government works for the public interest, not the special interests,” the California Democrat said Thursday after being elected to the lead the House for the second time.
