“A Victory for Democracy:” Brady Applauds the Passage of the For the People Act in the U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, D.C., March 3, 2021 - Today, Brady thanks the U.S. House of Representatives for championing the health of our democracy and passing H.R. 1, the For the People Act. Brady calls on the U.S. Senate to take this legislation up without delay.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“Our democracy has sustained an extended assault on its institutions and the public trust in our elections in the last 12 months. The For the People Act is a crucial first step in repairing that damage. By protecting voting rights, keeping dark money out of politics and helping states to expand access to the ballot for its citizens, the For the People Act will help create a healthier, more responsive government. This is essential for the gun violence prevention movement, which has seen common-sense and overwhelmingly popular policies stopped by a minority of politicians who are financed by the gun lobby to advance an extremist agenda.

We need these reforms so that the will of the people can become the law of the land - that includes gun violence prevention.”

The Team ENOUGH Executive Council shared:

“Our generation has watched as needed reforms, such as gun violence prevention and police brutality reforms, have been stopped by extremist politicians funded by special interests. The For the People Act is essential in the effort to stop such intransigence, while expanding access to the ballot and protections for all who want to participate in our democracy. Our nation needs this reform and more to help dismantle the white supremacist structures that continue to disenfranchise Black and Brown communities, silencing their voices and ignoring their needs. We will not accept that reality as the status quo. The For the People Act is a first step on this journey. We applaud the House of Representatives for passing this bill and demand that the Senate follow suit immediately.”

About S.1. and H.R.1.

The For the People Act is a once-in-a-generation package of proven reforms that would, among other things, put ordinary Americans ahead of big-money donors, expand and protect voting rights and access to the ballot, hold elected officials accountable, and more. These reforms go to the core of our ability to create a representative democracy and address America’s gun violence epidemic.

About Voting Access as a Gun Violence Prevention Issue

Though overwhelming and bipartisan majorities of Americans support common-sense gun violence prevention solutions such as universal background checks, federal action on these policies remains stalled. It is clear that, when our government does not represent the totality of its citizens, it is not responsive to their needs.

Nearly 40,000 Americans die from gun violence a year, while communities who are continuously shut out of our democratic processes bear a disproportionate amount of that burden. Ensuring that all citizens who want to exercise their right to vote are able to do so freely and easily is vital to enacting common-sense gun laws. Learn more about our work on democracy reforms and gun violence prevention.