Automatic voter registration, independent redistricting commissions, super PAC restrictions, forced release of presidential tax returns — these are just a handful of the provisions in a massive government overhaul package House Democrats will formally unveil Friday, according to a summary of the legislation obtained by Roll Call. The package is being introduced as H.R. 1 to show that it’s the top priority of the new Democratic majority. Committees with jurisdiction over the measures will hold markups on the legislation before the package is brought to the floor sometime later this month or early in February. H.R. 1 features a hodgepodge of policies Democrats have long promoted as solutions for protecting voters’ rights and expanding access to the polls, reducing the role of so-called dark money in politics, and strengthening federal ethics laws.
The package includes several Democratic bills that have gone nowhere in previous Congresses where Republicans held the House majority. It has broad support of the Democratic Caucus and will provide the new majority, which is roughly split between moderate and progressive members, an opportunity to show they can unify around significant policy changes.
Democrats say making a massive government overhaul package the first major bill they advance will prove to voters who gave them the majority that they’re willing to change Washington.
Passing H.R. 1 will “restore integrity to government, so that people can have confidence that government works for the people, not the special interests,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a floor speech Thursday upon accepting the gavel.
Full Article: House Democrats unveil first major legislative package of voting, campaign finance and ethics overhauls.