Press Releases

Progressives Call On Democrats To Stay Firm On Election Funding, Reject Any Deal That Omits It

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 6, 2020

PRESS CONTACT:
Ryan Thomas
[email protected]
(763) 954-0470

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as Congress continues negotiations this week for the next relief package, Stand Up America issued the following joint statement with Color of Change, Indivisible, Let America Vote / End Citizens United Action Fund, and Public Citizen:

“Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are willfully ignoring the threat this pandemic poses to our democracy in an effort to suppress the vote. They are threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans by holding our economy and our democracy hostage through their inaction.

“If Republicans believe we can afford $8 billion for defense contractors and nearly $2 billion to remodel the FBI headquarters, then we can certainly afford $3.6 billion in federal funding for safe, secure elections and a deadline extension for the Census Bureau to ensure communities of color aren’t erased on the census.

“Republicans cannot be allowed to suppress the vote in the middle of a pandemic—and that’s why we support Democrats in both chambers, who are staying firm and using their leverage to protect our democracy by ensuring that election funding, census funding, and an extension of the census reporting deadline are included in a final brokered deal. 

“Anything less would not only hurt our elections this year, but damage our democracy for years to come—and that’s why Republicans cannot be allowed to get away with census and voter suppression.”

Last month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that new money for election administration needs to be in the bill for it to have a chance of getting through the House.

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