WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, today released the below statement after voting against advancing legislation that would federalize state elections and implement partisan, burdensome requirements for elections and campaigns. The Senate rejected advancing the proposal on Tuesday evening.

“The so-called ‘For the People Act’ is a despicable, disingenuous attempt to strip states of their constitutional right to administer elections, and should never come close to reaching the president’s desk.

“Defenders of this disastrous legislation failed to prove how allowing taxpayer dollars to publicly fund campaigns, which would enable current members of the Senate to receive $1.8 billion in federal money, makes it easier for people to vote. They failed to demonstrate how banning state voter ID laws and turning the nonpartisan overseer of campaigns – the Federal Elections Commission – into a partisan agency would encourage more people to vote. And they failed to show how making it harder to vote for West Virginia’s deployed military members and those with disabilities would expand voting rights.

"Simply put: this was never about getting more people to vote, but rather a way for Democrats in Congress to power grab and fix problems that do not exist.

“In addition to dozens of egregious provisions, the process surrounding this bill, including the false pretense of bipartisanship, tells you all you need to know about the motivations of the special interests who are pushing for this unnecessary legislation.

“I want every eligible West Virginian to exercise their right to vote, find the process easy and accessible, and ensure their vote is counted. Fortunately in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, West Virginia ran a successful election that saw increased, historic voter turnout. I am proud to stand with 54 of West Virginia’s 55 county clerks – Democrat and Republican – in defending our state’s authority to run our own elections, and I am happy to see this harmful, partisan bill fail today in the Senate.”

Bipartisan Amendments Previously Adopted Left Out:

During the bill’s markup in the Committee on Rules and Administration, Senator Capito submitted an amendment to strike the provision that would eliminate the use of West Virginia’s e-voting system for overseas military members and those with disabilities, and another amendment striking a provision mandating paper ballot use for overseas military members

Both were subsequently adopted by the committee, however, the version of the bill discharged to the Senate floor and voted on today included neither of those amendments, and ignored the other bipartisan changes the committee agreed to during the hearing.

Senator Capito recently spoke on the Senate floor about her opposition to this legislation. Video and highlights of her speech can be found here. Senator Capito also penned an op-ed in May about the legislation and why it would threaten America’s elections. The op-ed can be found here.

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