NTU urges all Representatives to vote “NO” on H.R. 1, the so-called “For the People Act of 2021.” This fundamentally flawed legislation amounts to a federal takeover of the American election system, seemingly for the benefit of one party. Enactment of H.R. 1 would stifle free speech, force taxpayers to subsidize elections, and threaten the vitality of 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organizations.
The cornerstone of our democracy is the promise of free and fair elections, coupled with the unabridged freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. However, H.R. 1 fails to address the underlying problems in our elections system and instead uses the heavy hand of the federal government to control most aspects of the elections process, which are properly under the jurisdiction of state governments. Our founders were wary of large-scale federal involvement, which led to the decentralized federalist system that exists today.
Every 501(c)(4) advocacy organization would be harmed by this proposed system’s onerous regulations and punitive fines. H.R. 1 would force the disclosure of names and addresses of our supporters who freely choose to support various nonpartisan public-interest groups. Their information would be held forever in a publicly-available government database. Taxpayers, and indeed all Americans, have a constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy, and a violation of this sacred right could suppress political speech. Ironically, H.R. 1 justifies many of our supporters’ fears about political retaliation if their membership details were to be weaponized simply based on the groups they choose to support.
H.R. 1 would also force taxpayers to finance the political campaigns of Congressional candidates and those running for the presidency. Taxpayers would provide a 6-to-1 contribution match to every participating campaign. According to CBO’s score of the 2019 version of this legislation, the provision for taxpayer-financing alone would increase direct spending by $1.5 billion over ten years.
Despite its compelling “For the People” title, H.R. 1 would greatly harm the ability of taxpayers to freely write, promote, and organize to advocate for better government. This legislation would be more appropriately named the “For the Election Lawyers and Consultants Act,” as they will see the largest financial windfall should this bill be enacted into law.
Roll call votes on H.R. 1 will be significantly weighted in NTU’s annual Rating of Congress and a “NO” vote will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Aiello, Director of Federal Affairs, at Thomas.aiello@ntu.org
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