For the People Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

H.R. 1 is bold, transformative legislation which seeks to restore the people's faith that government works for the public interest, not special interests.

We were sent to Washington with a sacred task to do everything in our power to reinstate Americans' hope and faith in our democracy.

My amendment to H.R. 1 strikes at one of the fundamental goals of this legislation by ensuring that those who have a stake in our democracy will also have a say in our democracy. By lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 years of age, my amendment will allow young people to have a say in our Federal elections, to help shape and inform the policies that will set the course for the future.

From gun violence to climate change, our young people are organizing, mobilizing, and calling us to action. They are at the forefront of social and legislative movements and have earned inclusion in our democracy.

Beginning at the age of 16, young people are contributing to both the labor force and their local economies by paying income taxes, and yet they are deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

In this country, we affirm that when a person walks into the voting booth and pulls that lever, there is no meritocracy or hierarchy. The booth is the equalizer.

Despite many reasons in our lives growing up--in my family--to feel invisible and small, my mother reminded me, as a super voter each election day that, on this day, we were powerful. I believed that then, and I still do. When we step into that voting booth, we bring the totality of our lived experiences. The vote we cast absorbs and honors it all.

Some have questioned the maturity of our youth. I don't.

A 16-year-old in 2019 possesses a wisdom and maturity that comes from 2019 challenges, hardships, and threats.

A 16-year-old will bring with them the 2019 fears that their father's insulin will run out before the next paycheck.

A 17-year-old will bring with them the 2019 hopes to be the first in their family to earn a college degree.

A 16-year-old will bring with them the 2019 lessons they learned picking up shifts, waiting tables to support their family while their mother was deployed.

A 17-year-old will bring with them the 2019 solemn vow to honor the lives of their classmate stolen by a gunman.

And now is the time for us to demonstrate the 2019 courage that matches the challenges of the modern-day 16-and 17-year-old.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Meng and Schakowsky, for their leadership on this issue and for cosponsoring my amendment; the Rules Committee, under the leadership of Chairman McGovern, for bringing my amendment to the House floor for consideration; and I also wish to thank my staff, Aissa and Lynese, specifically.

Madam Chair, I respectfully request my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Meng).

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Chair, I respectfully disagree with the gentleman from Illinois, and I, too, appreciate the opportunity to engage in a civil discourse with him.

The data supports the fact that by extending the table of democracy, given what we have learned in Maryland, that, in fact, we have seen more robust voter participation by both 16- and 17-year-olds and those over the age of 18. I think that we should be cultivating that relationship with the young people and their government and their participation as early as possible.

Although a constitutional amendment is one approach, I do think that we have a mandate from this electorate, as a Congress, to be bold; and this is the opportunity to do exactly that, and we should be acting.

There is nothing spontaneous about this. There have been advocates who have been organizing in communities for decades on this very issue and, of course, colleagues in this very House.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, how much time is remaining?

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