House Democrats passed the For the People Act as their top priority in the 116th Congress
Reforms aimed at fixing our broken campaign finance system, strengthening ethics laws, and empowering voters
In March 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) and the freshman class, passed the For the People Act (H.R.1). The once-in-a-generation anti-corruption and reform bill, which was borne out of the 2018 midterm elections, is designed to end the dominance of big money in politics, help make it easier for people to vote, and ensure our officials are working in the public interest.
“The 2018 midterms ushered in a new class of House freshmen who made comprehensive reform a central theme in their campaigns and made it a priority after getting elected,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Rep. Dean Phillips was at the forefront of that fight. His commitment to ending the rampant corruption in Washington is a reminder of what real representation looks like. ECU is proud of the work Rep. Phillips has accomplished in just one year, and we look forward to our continued work together to make Washington work for the people.”
As a candidate during the 2018 election cycle, Rep. Dean Phillips put reform front and center in his campaign. Phillips regularly talked about his no PAC pledge and reform plans on the campaign trail, including paid communications, in interviews, on the debate stage, and on social media –– building a mandate for reform if Democrats retake the majority. In October 2018, Rep. Phillips led a coalition of 107 House candidates who sent a letter to the House of Representatives calling for a government and election reform bill to be the first item on the agenda in the 116th Congress.
End Citizens United, the leading outside group behind the bill’s passage, has played a pivotal role in harnessing the power of its four million members to pass campaign finance reform legislation. The reform group is entirely grassroots funded, with an average contribution of just $14.
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