For the People Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEIL. Madam Speaker, we must protect voting integrity. The bill before us today, H.R. 1, nationalizes our elections. It imposes poorly drafted, unconstitutional mandates on States. The bill weakens critical voter integrity provisions. Let me explain.

Madam Speaker, first, the bill guts voter ID protections. For example, in Wisconsin, a State with strong voter ID laws, this law would allow an individual to vote without an ID by simply providing a sworn statement. That is it.

Are there other areas where we would allow individuals to avoid our laws so easily? Could you board an airplane by simply providing a statement as to who you are? The purpose of this provision is to weaken the integrity of our elections.

Madam Speaker, wait, there is more. This bill legalizes ballot harvesting. In Wisconsin, we saw a clerk in Madison conduct ballot collections in broad daylight. This bill would legalize ballot harvesting nationwide. The purpose of this provision is to weaken the integrity of our elections.

Madam Speaker, if that is not bad enough, just wait. There is more. This bill will allow Federal funding of congressional campaigns. It would give government money to fund politicians' reelection campaigns. It would give government money to buy negative TV ads. I am not sure about all my colleagues in this House, but I can tell you that not once has an individual told me that the problem with our elections is there is just not enough money.

Madam Speaker, we need to strengthen our election system. We need to protect the integrity of our elections. This bill nationalizes our elections, weakens voter integrity, is an affront to the First Amendment, and is a poor use of government money.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill, H.R. 1.

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