H.R. 1, also known as the For the People Act of 2021, is a proposed piece of legislation that was introduced in the United States House of Representatives in January 2021. The bill aims to reform the United States election system and to strengthen democracy by addressing issues such as campaign finance, voting rights, and ethics in government.
H.R. 1 is a comprehensive bill that includes a number of provisions, such as:
- Expanding access to voting, including by establishing automatic voter registration, establishing early voting and vote-by-mail options, and restoring voting rights to people with past criminal convictions.
- Strengthening campaign finance rules, including by establishing public financing of elections, increasing transparency in political spending, and cracking down on foreign interference in elections.
- Enhancing ethics in government, including by establishing new conflict of interest rules for government officials and by creating an independent ethics commission to enforce these rules.
H.R. 1 has been the subject of significant debate and controversy, with some supporters viewing it as a necessary step to address problems in the election system and others expressing concerns that it could infringe on states’ rights and increase the influence of the federal government in elections.
