House GOP speaks out against H.R.1 bill
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., criticizes Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the Democratic $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:20 AM PT – Thursday, March 4, 2021
House lawmakers are outraged as a new legislation largely backed by Democrats could alter the way elections are run in the U.S. The H.R.1 bill, or For the People Act, would ultimately place voting regulations into the hands of the federal government rather than individual states.
This means voting would become overall more accessible. For example, a convicted felon would be able to cast a ballot even if they are in prison for committing election fraud. People living in the U.S. would also be able to cast a vote without proper identification.
Amid these concerns Republicans are speaking out on why they are voting ‘no’ on H.R.1.
“This bill is unconstitutional for starters, D.C. does not get to dictate how our elections are run in the states,” stated Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.). “I don’t want Nancy Pelosi in California telling South Carolina how to run our elections.”
On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took to Twitter to note Democrats did not design H.R.1 to protect votes, but rather “designed it to put a thumb on the scale of every election in America.”
Democrats did not design #HR1 to protect your vote. They designed it to put a thumb on the scale of every election in America and keep the Swamp swampy. pic.twitter.com/Csyu9AX6Ce
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) March 3, 2021
Meanwhile, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) said H.R.1would undo all the hard work the state is currently doing to recover from the 2020 election.
"I'm proud to support those efforts by voting no to the federal takeover of elections, #HR1" @Rep_Clyde pic.twitter.com/TAmoBE9AQk
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) March 3, 2021
This comes after the House heard arguments for and against the bill this week. However, it faces strong opposition in the Senate where 60 votes are needed for approval.