For the People Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-03-17 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Adult day care
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Business records
Buy American requirements
Census and government statistics
Child care and development
Civil actions and liability
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional agencies
Congressional districts and representation
Congressional elections
Congressional operations and organization
Congressional oversight
Constitution and constitutional amendments
Corporate finance and management
Crime prevention
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Defense spending
Department of Justice
Digital media
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disability and health-based discrimination
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Election Assistance Commission
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment and training programs
Europe
Evidence and witnesses
Executive agency funding and structure
Family relationships
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Federal district courts
Federal officials
Federal-Indian relations
Financial services and investments
Foreign and international banking
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government Publishing Office (GPO)
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
House of Representatives
Immigration status and procedures
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Judges
Judicial procedure and administration
Judicial review and appeals
Labor-management relations
Legislative rules and procedure
Library of Congress
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
Members of Congress
Motor vehicles
News media and reporting
Northern Mariana Islands
Office of Government Ethics
Performance measurement
Photography and imaging
Political advertising
Political parties and affiliation
Postal service
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
Public transit
Right of privacy
Rural conditions and development
Russia
Securities
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Sound recording
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Subversive activities
Supreme Court
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations
Telephone and wireless communication
Television and film
Transportation costs
Travel and tourism
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. territories and protectorates
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-17
text: 

For the People Act of 2021

 
This bill addresses voter access, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics for the three branches of government. 
 
Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.
 
The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting.
 
Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems.
 
Further, the bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.
 
The bill addresses ethics in all three branches of government, including by requiring a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, prohibiting Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, and establishing additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House.
 
The bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for those offices to disclose 10 years of tax returns.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 123.
action_date: 2021-08-11
text: Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 358 (Pursuant to S. Res. 27, 117th Congress). (consideration: CR S6250)
action_date: 2021-08-11
text: Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 49. Record Vote Number: 358 (Pursuant to S. Res. 27, 117th Congress).(consideration: CR S6250)
action_date: 2021-05-11
text: Committee on Rules and Administration. Failed to report favorably.
action_date: 2021-03-24
text: Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-14.
action_date: 2021-03-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2021-03-17
text: Introduced in Senate