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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats unveil first new bill, with requirement for presidential candidates tax returns
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/04/politics/house-democrats-new-legislation-hr1/index.html
(CNN)Democrats unveiled their first piece of legislation Friday, a collection of voting rights provisions, ethics reforms and a requirement that presidential candidates release 10 years of tax returns, an action aimed at President Donald Trump, who has defied decades of precedent by refusing to release his tax returns to the public.
The bill, which will become the first priority of many of the House's most high-profile committees, is expected to move swiftly through the House of Representatives, but won't pass in the Republican-controlled Senate or be signed by the President.
Known as HR 1 or what Democrats are calling the For the People Act, the bill would make sweeping changes to the country's federal voting system and promote automatic voter registration, internet registration and early voting, as well as prohibit states from restricting a voter's ability to cast mail-in ballots. The legislation would also seek to bolster election security by imposing changes like requiring voting systems to be tested at least nine months before any federal election.
The legislation makes broad campaign finance reforms like barring contributions from businesses that have significant foreign influence and "requires super PACs, 501(c)(4) groups and other organizations spending money in elections to disclose donors who contribute more than $10,000." It also imposes ethics rules on Congress and the executive branch.
Maybe we can pave the way and make it a requirement of the Democratic candidates now (since I know this bill will only make it past the house and then it will be killed).
still_one
(92,394 posts)MrsCoffee
(5,803 posts)lark
(23,155 posts)That means the #2 Russian Repug, McTurtle, will probably not allow it to come to a vote - especially if he thinks it will be close.
sheshe2
(83,898 posts)Apollyonus
(812 posts)who didn't release tax returns
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and then PASS the whole thing, dozens of reforms, into LAW. 2020 is coming up fast. Democrats will make all the provisions of H.R. 1 law binding on all elections. The Republicans will do EVERYTHING they can to stop H.R. 1 from becoming law.
I suggest everyone COMMIT to one future or the other.
2020: Hold control of the House. Get control of the presidency and senate. Get democratic control of more state legislatures and hundreds of more courts.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,414 posts)Keep the House, take the Senate, storm the White House -- 2020.
Pass election reforms, including requiring paper ballots. Undo the gerrymandering, voter intimidation and voter purges.
malaise
(269,157 posts)for visibility
rogue emissary
(3,148 posts)I wish there were a few Republicans that would put the people over party. Unfortunately, they need to cheat to win so I won't be holdingy breath.
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)Mitch McConnell wrote an op-ed in the Wapo opposing it
ThoughtCriminal
(14,049 posts)House Ways and Means Committee can obtain them without having to get "Permission" from Senate Republicans.
The proposed legislation is a good idea, but we do not have to wait and we cannot afford to let Trump's hidden deals, debts, and conflicts of interest go unscrutinized for another year, not another month. We need to see them NOW!
jalan48
(13,883 posts)PeeJ52
(1,588 posts)In free speech. They believe you have the right to keep your free speech secret? Now that is the weirdest argument I have ever heard. If you want your free speech to be secret, just keep it to yourself. No one will know!