Call on Senators Warnock and Ossoff to ‘ensure the For the People Act is passed in the Senate and is put on President Biden’s desk’

As the Supreme Court issued its voting rights and donor disclosure decisions yesterday, local small business owners gathered near the John Lewis portrait in Atlanta’s Freedom Park and urged US Senators to pass the For the People Act. 

“We’re here today to encourage the United States Congress to pass the ‘For the People’ Act – which regulates gerrymandering, promotes election integrity, regulates campaign financing and also regulates ethics in government,” said Paul Hopson, educator and owner of Pilot Lite Productions, LLC.

‘I’m an advocate in regard to the For the People Act. I want other people to understand exactly what that bill is able to do,” said Nakia Cooper of Key Estate LLC. “It’s time to call your senators and make sure they understand that you need them. Fire and replace if we can’t get this done, just as you would in your own business.”

“The ‘For the People Act’ would solve so many things that are wrong with our government,’” said Aunna Dennis, Executive Director of Common Cause Georgia. “It would reduce the influence of special interest money. It would require all three branches of government — including Congress — to abide by ethics rules. It would prevent gerrymandering, so that ‘we the people’ can pick our politicians, rather than incumbent politicians picking what voters they want to represent. We need all our elected officials to represent ‘the people’ and focus on issues like health care, child care, and good jobs at fair wages. And to get to that point, where our elected officials are representing us, we need to pass the For the People Act.”

“What will it take us, to get to pass this bill?” Hopson asked. “There are three things… Unity, which is working together as a community; Love, which is unconditional giving of yourself; and lastly, Consistency, the ability to pass on progress from generation to generation.”

More than 150 small businesses signed a letter to U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, which was presented to Senate staffers during the event.

“For far too long, special interests, wealthy donors, and vote suppressors have dominated our politics and attempted to silence the voices of everyday Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities,” the letter said. “The For the People Act would help shift power away from bad actors and transfer it to ‘we the people.’”

“Common-sense reforms in the For the People Act, most of which are deeply popular across the political spectrum and have passed in many states and localities, aim to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government.

“Many of the critical issues that our nation faces — ensuring quality, affordable health care, creating good paying jobs, combating climate change, and achieving racial justice, to name just a few — cannot be fully solved until we fix our broken democracy. Wealthy special interests have too strong of a grip on the status quo, and we need to first unlock this stranglehold that they have on our political system.

“We thank you for cosponsoring S. 1, the For the People Act, and urge you to fix the filibuster and ensure the For the People Act is passed in the Senate and is put on President Biden’s desk.” 

The letter was signed by 1000 Women Strong, 1irst Step Academy LLP Preschool, 2 Lace or Die LLC/The Shape Show, 2000 AD Inc Concepts in Floral Art, 4SYT Industries, 516 Custom Medallions, A Philip Randolph Institute, A.O.T., INC, Abstract Cargo LLC, African & International Market, Afroman Afroqueen Gaming LLC, Agape Transformation Practice, Alaska Pacific Insurance, ALF, Alsydes Collection, Anale Consulting Group LLC, APD URBAN PLANNING, APRI Savannah Chapter, AR JACKSON CONSULTING, Arty’s Natural Hair Care, Aryana Hair Braiding, B Still Massage Therapy, B.i.ntech, Baked Bliss, LLC, Bessie Christopher Reality, Black Cups LLC, Black Nonbelievers, Blak Rhyno Health, Blissful Aura, Bosses In Bling, Boys 2 Men Home and Sanctuary, Brooklyn Pizza & Burgers, Brown Financial Group Inc, Butler Group LLC, Buttersweet Bakery, Cherokee Family Violence Center, Chevron Gas Station and Food Market, Coaching Enstinct 3, LLC, Comfort N Light, Cr3ate, Cultivating Lives Educational Services Inc, Deoruli Lirucery LLC, Dexter`s Contracting & Hauling, Dexter Cartledge, Direct Auto Insurance, Discount Auto Insurance Agency, DreDrumming LLC, Dripland Vintage, Earth Mapping International Inc., ElAments Design, Emmanuel Hair Braiding, Eureka All Natural Hair & Skin, Exquisite Boutiquie, EZ Style Barber, Flavor Rich, G & M TRUCKING, INC., GA WAND, GA Youth Justice Coalition, GCADV, Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO), Georgia Conservation Voters, Georgia Equality, Georgia STAND-UP, Georgia WAND, Get Fruity Cafe, Glass Gloss Vegan Lip Beauty, Goalden Consultant LLC, Goodness Gracious BBQ, Great Ivy, Hank Stewart Poet, Healthy Is The New Cool, Henry Wellness Center, Herb N Flow LLC, Impel Professional Consulting, LLC, Island Vibes Grill, ITC Student Christian League, ITS Enterprises, Jay Anthony’s Barber Shop, JIS UNIVERSITY, Journey Acctg and Tax Solution, Juneteenth Atlanta Black History, Just Us Girls, Inc., Kiddieland Daycare, Kutz and Locz Grooming, Landmarketing Homes LLC, LawnSpa, LLC, League of Women Voters of Georgia, Live, Love, Die Black, LLC, Living Visions LLC, LOADEM LLC, M & C Lawn Care & Maintenance Services, LLC, MC Carpet Cleaner, Mellissa Roper Travel, Mii Amara Beauty, MMP TRUCKING SERVICES LLC, Mohammad Azimuddin Noman Gazi, Mr. Bundle’s, naturalicequeen, Naturally Persistent Fitness, New Community of Believers, Inc., New Deal Democrats, New Jerusalem Church, New Journey Counseling, Noah’s Treats, Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, Novella’s LLC, Nuenergy, O.P.R Keon, Paywise Technologies, Peace of Mind, Peach Blossom Pastries, Pebbles Polish, Pilot Lite Productions, Ponce Coffee, Pourfeet Measures, LLC, Pretty Smooth Smoothies, R-Value Insulation LLC, Regina Davis Consulting, Reign Sanitary Napkins, Renewz Alteration, Royalhe Royalshe, RPM Services, LLC, Serenity Music Studio, Simmons Beauty & Barber, Sizzle & Smoke Shop LLC, SM Beauty Supply, SnacksEdge Corporation, Southern Pro Staffing, LLC, Southern Solutions Consulting, Speak Easy Lounge, Stan Enterprise LLC, Stan’s Jewelers, StarGlam, Style Diva, Sugar Daddy Cookies, Sweet Paradise, Sweet Sisters Lemonade and More, Talia Oliver & Associates LLC, Tally Cares Incorporated, Taylor Made Cuts Barber Shop, The Closet Ratchet Inc., The Intimate Culture Co, The National African American Gun Association, The NiCole Lynn Project, Thelisa Flair, TLT Smiling Faces Transportation, Turkey On the Loose, Urban Shear Barber Club, Valdosta Pressure Solutions, Verns Advisers LLC, Wakanda Highlife, Wealthy Roots LLC, Women Engaged, Woolala Jewelry Store, Yoga with Freedom, YoStylez Beauty Shop, Zena Rae Coleman Insurance Agency Inc, Ziongates Culcha Shop, Zoom Coffee Roaster, and Zuri Culture.   

Read yesterday’s press release, SCOTUS Rulings on Voting Rights & Nonprofit Disclosure Make Clear Congress Must Pass For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, here.