Press Release
Common Cause Scorecard Charts Lawmaker Support for Pro-Democracy Bills in 117th Congress
As 2022 congressional races ramp up, Common Cause is again tracking the positions of every Member of Congress on issues vital to the health of our democracy. Members of the House and Senate have received letters asking them to co-sponsor and support at least 15 democracy reform bills and informing them that their voting and co-sponsorship record will be published in Common Cause’s “Democracy Scorecard,” which will be distributed to our 1.5 million members, as well as to state and national media, during the lead-up to Election Day.
“Americans deserve to know where their representatives in Washington stand on congressional efforts to protect and strengthen our democracy, and at Common Cause we are keeping track of their votes on these issues,” said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn. “We have seen almost unprecedented threats to our democracy during this Congress, and there have been votes that have put Members on the right side and the wrong side of history. Many of the votes stemmed from the January 6th insurrection and its aftermath – including the impeachment of then-President Trump, congressional efforts to launch investigations of those responsible for the ransacking of the Capitol, and contempt votes for witnesses who refused to comply with congressional subpoenas related to the investigation.”
“A number of the votes we tracked related to former-President Trump’s “Big Lie” about the 2020 election and efforts to turn back a new generation of Jim Crow laws his lies inspired that make it harder for many Americans to vote – particularly in Black and Brown communities,” said Aaron Scherb, Common Cause’s senior director of legislative affairs. “Despite continued Republican blockades of popular pro-democracy legislation on Capitol Hill, reforms similar to the bills on the Scorecard are being enacted across the country at the state and local level. Members would be wise to take note of this groundswell of public support for reform in the states.”
The bills included in the Democracy Scorecard reflect a comprehensive reform agenda that public opinion research indicates has consistently high levels of support across the ideological spectrum.
The Scorecard includes:
Votes
- Impeachment and conviction
- For the People Act
- DC Statehood
- Independent commission to investigate January 6th insurrection
- Resolution creating January 6th Select Committee
- John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
- Steve Bannon criminal contempt resolution
- Protecting Our Democracy Act
- Mark Meadows criminal contempt resolution
- Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act
Bills to cosponsor
- DISCLOSE Act
- Supreme Court Ethics Act
- Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act
- Democracy for All Amendment
If Congress votes to reform congressional stock trading laws, the Electoral Count Act, or other democracy issues, we may include those votes as well.
The Scorecard will not ‘rate’ candidates. Instead, it will spotlight the votes and co-sponsors of legislation that would protect our elections, elevate the voices of all Americans in politics and government, make voting more accessible, end partisan gerrymandering so that every American has a fair chance to elect representatives of their choice, and promote high ethical standards for elected and appointed officials.
Common Cause previously issued “Democracy Scorecards” in 2016, 2018, and 2020 based on the votes and cosponsorship of between 15-18 key democracy reform bills.
To view the letter to Senators, click here.
To view the letter to Representatives, click here.
