Washington, DC – March 3, 2021....Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the below statement after voting against H.R. 1, the House Democrats’ radical proposal to nationalize the American electoral system. This fundamentally flawed legislation establishes a new publicly subsidized fund for political campaigns, weaponizes the Federal Election Commission by destroying the current bipartisan makeup, nullifies voter fraud prevention laws, and infringes on free speech rights. Before the vote, Womack also delivered a floor speech on the bill: 

Congressman Womack said, “H.R. 1 isn’t for the people, it’s for the politicians. It will funnel public funds to bankroll political campaigns, federalize elections, eliminate fraud prevention laws, and stifle First Amendment rights. It’s a dangerous overreach that will radically alter the foundation of our constitutional republic. With such sweeping changes, you would expect detailed hearings. Yet, Democrats only held one. They’ve denied the opportunity to have a robust discussion on the cornerstone of American democracy.”

Amongst other provisions, H.R. 1 would:

• Federalize our election system by taking power away from the states to determine their registration and voting practices;
• Increase the election system’s vulnerability for fraud;
• Explicitly authorize ballot harvesting;
• Abolish signature requirements for mail-in ballots;
• Allow public funds to be utilized for campaigns and political ads on TV, radio, and social media;
• Create a 6 to 1 government match for small donor campaign contributions up to $200. This means for every $200 that a political candidate receives, the federal government will give $1200 to a politician’s campaign;
• Force states to allow convicted felons to vote, including those found guilty of election fraud;
• Weaponize the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by altering the current bipartisan makeup of the six-member commission to a partisan five-member commission;
• Transfer the right to draw congressional districts from state legislatures to “independent” commissions whose members are unaccountable to voters; and
• Give the IRS power to decide which political views are acceptable for non-profits. 

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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