Next week, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on (H.R. 1),  a piece of legislation that critics contend will likely “gut free speech and advocacy rights.”  CIRT has joined a coalition of organizations including the U.S. Chamber, to voice fundamental constitutional and election advocacy concerns regarding this piece of legislation.  (View a fact sheet on H.R. 1 by clicking here & the Coalition Letter here.)

The disingenuously named “For the People Act of 2019” takes the worst ideas out of past discredited proposals like the DISCLOSE Act, and builds upon them, such as:

• imposes new regulations on political speech by all Americans – especially by businesses and business organizations,
• federalizes many aspects of election law currently under the jurisdiction of states, and
• makes significant changes to the rules surrounding lobbying and advocacy.

CIRT is opposed to the imposition of these unnecessary and highly corrosive effects on free speech, especially political speech, which is the most sacred under the constitution.