Coalition Letter- People Power United supports Freedom to Vote Act
Letter sent to members of Congress by DFAD Coalition
People Power United is a proud member of the DFAD Coalition (Declaration for American Democracy) and signed on to a joint letter on behalf of our membership to support the Freedom to Vote Act. Here is the letter sent on behalf of People Power United members:
July 19, 2023
Dear Senators and Representatives,
On behalf of our organizations representing tens of millions of Americans, we strongly endorse the Freedom to Vote Act and call on Congress to pass this transformative pro-voter, anti-corruption bill.
While we recognize that passage in this Congress might be challenging, we nonetheless urge all Members of Congress to fight for the policies in this historic legislation and pass these reforms.
For far too long, special interests, ultra-wealthy donors, and vote suppressors have dominated our politics and attempted to silence the voices of everyday Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities. The Freedom to Vote Act would help shift power away from bad actors and transfer it to “we the people.”
This critically important legislation will protect the voices of voters, end partisan gerrymandering, counter undemocratic and dangerous election sabotage efforts, and help to eliminate the undue influence of dark money in our elections. The Freedom to Vote Act, which incorporates significant feedback from state and local election officials, will ensure no matter which party you support or where you live, your voice and vote will be heard, counted, and protected. Specifically, the Freedom to Vote Act would:
● Respond directly to new laws around the country aimed squarely at making it harder for people to vote--which will disproportionately impact communities of color--by setting commonsense standards for safe, convenient practices like early voting, automatic voter registration and vote-by-mail.
● Protect the integrity of our elections by adding new safeguards against election sabotage, such as partisan efforts to remove local election administrators and harassment of poll workers.
● Ban gerrymandering and prevent states from adopting congressional maps based unduly on voters’ political party.
● Reduce the power of special interests in our elections by shining a light on secret political spending and getting big money out of politics.
If enacted, the Freedom to Vote Act would be the most significant, comprehensive anti-corruption and voting rights bill in generations. This transformational legislation is also essential to counteract the many voter suppression and sabotage laws recently enacted in at least 20 states. Reforms contained in the bill are popular, and many of them are tried-and-true solutions that have passed in red, blue, and purple states.
It’s equally important for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, both of which have twice passed the House in recent years. Collectively, these bills are a major step forward to protect the will of the people. We look forward to working with you in the years ahead to protect and strengthen our voices, and we urge you to work with your colleagues to do whatever it takes to pass transformative reform to create a truly multi-racial democracy.
Sincerely,
18by Vote
20/20 Vision
603 Forward
Accountable.US
Action Together Florida
AFL-CIO
Alabama Forward
All About The Ballots
All on the Line
Alliance for Youth Action
Alliance of Families for Justice
American Family Voices
American Federation of Teachers
American Humanist Association
American Sustainable Business Network
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Yakima, WA
Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club
Better Organizing to Win Legalization
BigMoneyOutVA
Black Voters Matter Fund
Blue Future
Brennan Center for Justice
Broward for Progress
Build Back Better USA
Campaign for Accountability
Campaign Legal Center
Carolina for All
Carolina Jews for Justice
Center for American Progress
Center for Common Ground
Center for Popular Democracy
Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice
Citizen Action of New York
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
CivicGeorgia
Clean Elections Texas
Clean Water Action
Climate Hawks Vote
Common Cause
Common Defense
Common Power
Communications Workers of America
Daily Kos
Defend Democracy
Demand Justice
DemCast USA
Democracy 21
Democracy Maine
Democracy Matters
Democracy Sentry
Detroit Disability Power
DoTheMostGood
Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance
Earthjustice
Election Reform Committee of Ulster Activists
End Citizens United / Let America Vote
Equal Citizens
Equal Ground Education Fund
Fair Fight Action
Faith Commons
Faith in Public Life
Faiths for Safe Water
Field Team 6
Fix Democracy First
Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Franciscan Action Network
Free Speech For People
Freedom BLOC (Black Led Organizing Collaborative)
Friends of the Earth
Future Coalition
Generation Vote
GenZOregonizers
Georgia Coalition for the Peoples Agenda
Get Money Out Maryland
Global Center for Climate Justice
Government Information Watch
Greenpeace USA
HeadCount
Helping Hands Outreach Services
Hip Hop Caucus
Interfaith Power & Light
International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR)
Latino Community Fund
League of Conservation Voters
LUCHA (Living United for Change in Arizona)
Madison County Racial Justice Coalition (North Carolina)
March On
Memphis APRI
Missouri Voter Protection Coalition
MomsRising
MoveOn
National Employment Law Project
National Organization for Women
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
National Voter Corps
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
New American Leaders Action Fund
New Georgia Project Action Fund
Newtown Action Alliance
Nextgen America
NJ LGBTQ Dems
North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections
Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition
NYPAN of the Southern Finger Lakes
Oregonizers
Our Revolution
Oxfam America
P Street
People For the American Way
People's Agenda
People Power United
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Poligon Education Fund
Pride At Work
Progreso: Latino Progress
Progress Arizona
Progressive Democrats of America
Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
Protect Democracy
Public Citizen
Public Wise
Rank the Vote
Reclaim Democracy!
RepresentUs
Rise Up WV
Safer Country
Sciencecorps
Scrutineers.org
Secure Elections Network
Service Employees International Union
Shift the Country
Sierra Club
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, Eastern Region
SMART Legislation
Sojourners
SpeakingintheKeyofWE
Stand Up Alaska
Stand Up America
State Voices
Swing Left Voters Rights & Protection Taskforce
The Civics Center
The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes
The National Vote
The Workers Circle
Transparency International U.S.
Truth and Democracy Coalition
Ulster Activists (U-ACT)
Union of Concerned Scientists
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE)
UNITE HERE
United Church of Christ Justice and Local Church Ministries
Un-PAC
Vote.org
Voter Participation Center
Voto Latino
Walking To Fix Our Democracy
WAVE Educational Fund
Westchester for Change
When We All Vote
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition
Women of Color Coalition
WV Citizen Action Group
WV Citizens for Clean Elections
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