Thornberry vote against H.R.1

WASHINGTON - U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted today against H.R. 1, the House Democrats’ campaign finance and elections reform bill.

“House Democrats try to frame this bill as a way to empower American voters; however, hidden in the text are outrageous regulations and more federal bureaucracy,” Thornberry said. “This bill limits free speech, weakens election security, and funds federal campaigns with taxpayer dollars. Above all, it attempts to pull the wool over the public’s eyes.”

Provisions in the bill:

• Creates a 6:1 government match for “small” donor contributions up to $200, meaning for every $200, the federal government will match $1,200. Almost $4.3 million is allowed per candidate, this program could cost billions of taxpayer dollars.
• Increases the election system’s vulnerability to fraud by creating a federally mandated approach to voter registration and voter practices that would force states to comply.
• Limits our freedom of speech by imposing standards that disadvantage groups who wish to advocate for any legislative issue. This bill increases burdensome reports required to file with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the length of mandatory disclaimers in messages.
• Impedes states’ ability to determine their registration and voting practices, as protected by the Constitution and violates separation of powers by Congress mandating ethics standards for the Supreme Court.
• Disregards state voter identification laws by allowing sworn statements to be used in place of identification and allowing for signature verification, which can be submitted through a photo if the voter registers online.
• Requires states to count all of the votes cast on a provisional ballot for federal elections in which the voter was eligible to vote notwithstanding the precinct or polling place at which the ballot was cast.