Rick Allen: “I rise here this morning to speak out against the extreme priorities of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle.…”

“I rise here this morning to speak out against the extreme priorities of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. With so many pressing issues facing the 116th Congress, I find it appalling that H.R. 1 has been reserved for legislation that completely undermines the democratic framework of our country. Simply put, this bill is nothing more than a thinly veiled power grab through more government, more regulation, and political speech repression. To call this legislation the For the People Act is borderline ludicrous. H.R. 1 would eliminate States' authority to set voting qualifications, restore voting rights of convicted felons even if it contradicts State or local policy, outlaw voter verification, and force taxpayers to subsidize anonymous donations even if it is for a candidate they do not support. This is just the tip of the iceberg. H.R. 1 is not for the people but, rather, an attempt to expand power to Federal bureaucrats and unelected Federal judges, undercutting the will of everyday citizens and the Constitution. This is not reform. This is a shameless attempt to keep one party in power, and the American people deserve better. ____________________”