Common Cause is urging every member of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote “yes” on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4) to protect the freedom to vote of every American at a time when voting rights are under attack. The letter emphasizes that already this year, 18 states have enacted 30 restrictive voting bills that make it harder for Americans – particularly in Black and Brown communities - to have a say in choosing their elected leaders. The letter also notes that Common Cause plans to key-vote this legislation in our Democracy Scorecard, which we send to our 1.5 million members. 

It is critically important that Congress pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect the freedom to vote of every American. The legislation, introduced today in the United States House of Representatives, will repair much of the damage done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts. In concert with the For the People Act, this legislation will curb the coordinated effort by Republican state legislatures across the country to silence Black and Brown voters who showed up in record numbers last year to vote. Already this year, 18 states have enacted 30 restrictive voting bills that make it harder for Americans to have a say in choosing our elected leaders.

Today, Common Cause and over 20 non-partisan organizations working to combat voter suppression, stop online hate, and ensure all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process, sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg demanding that Facebook close a loophole that has allowed former president Donald Trump to remain a regular presence on the platform despite being “banned” from it. The letter urges Zuckerberg to clearly define what content it considers to be in the voice of public figures and align its content moderation policies with campaign finance law.

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), Common Cause, and Alliance for a Better Utah are filing campaign finance complaints in 15 states this week against the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its legislative leaders for illegally giving and receiving sophisticated voter management campaign software linked to the Republican National Committee (RNC) to help their campaigns.

A new report from Common Cause in partnership with the Communications Workers of America, “Broadband Gatekeepers: How ISP Lobbying and Political Influence Shapes the Digital Divide,” examines lobbying and political spending by the largest ISPs and their trade associations and how these activities have shaped the digital divide.

President Biden's important speech today in Philadelphia about protecting the freedom to vote must be met with the Senate passing legislation before they depart for their August recess. We thank him for his bold remarks. As the President said, there is an unfolding assault on democracy and on liberty today with clear attempts to suppress and subvert the freedom to vote in free and fair elections. Administrative action, litigation, and organizing are critical to combat this, but these tactics are not a substitute for congressional action on the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.   As the President ramps-up his use of the bully pulpit and engages with senators, we urge him to make clear that the Senate minority’s use of the filibuster—a Jim Crow relic, in the words of former President Obama—must never stand in the way of the freedom to vote.