January 28, 2019
Washington, DC
Signatures updated 2/4/19
Conservatives are united in opposing H.R. 1, the attempt by House Democrats to fundamentally undermine the American electoral system.
While they cloak the bill in terms of “restoring democracy” and “preventing corruption,” the legislation has one goal: to protect incumbents, at the expense of the First Amendment, federalism, and individual voter integrity.
H.R. 1 undermines the First Amendment. H.R. 1 undoes key Supreme Court cases that protect elections as fundamental to free speech. It would allow the Federal Election Commission to track and catalogue more of what Americans are saying, register even very small political donations, and make public those who donate to different charitable and nonprofit organizations. The legislation will subject private citizens to intimidation and harassment for their private and political beliefs, far broader than what was done in the IRS targeting scandal in 2013.
H.R. 1 yanks election authority away from the states. H.R. 1 reasserts the ability of the federal government to micromanage state elections through a process known as “preclearance.” Preclearance, which was previously overturned by the Supreme Court, requires states to get permission from the federal government for changes as small as modifying the hours of an election office, or moving a voting location from a school gym to the library. Critically, none of these practices would undo any fraud or corruption. Rather, these same practices result in incorrect registrations and inaccurate voter data, while failing to address actual corrupt practices like ballot harvesting. Moreover, they are all designed to eliminate the federalism that keeps elections transparent, local, and fair.
H.R. 1 attacks individual voter integrity. America was founded on the principle of “one person, one vote.” H.R. 1 turns this on its head by weaponizing every aspect of the political regulatory system. The Federal Election Commission, which is currently a neutral body, would be given a 3-2 makeup, guaranteeing a partisan outcome with little accountability toward the actual votes which are cast. H.R. 1 also includes a 600 percent government match for political donations, and authorizes even more public dollars to campaigns. The bill also wants to make Election Day a new paid holiday for government workers, with additional paid vacation given to bureaucrats to oversee the polls. All of these changes are designed to distance the outcome of the election from those casting their votes.
H.R. 1 would also implement the following changes:
• Forces states to implement mandatory voter registration, removing civic participation as a voluntary choice, and increasing chances for error.
• Mandates that states allow all felons to vote.
• Forces states to extend periods of early voting, which has shown to have no effect on turnout.
• Mandates same-day voter registration, which encourages voter fraud.
• Limits the ability of states to cooperate to see who is registered in multiple states at the same time.
• Prohibits election observers from cooperating with election officials to file formal challenges to suspicious voter registrations.
• Criminalizes protected political speech by making it a crime to “discourage” someone from voting
• Bars states from making their own laws about voting by mail.
• Prohibits chief election officials in each state from participating in federal election campaigns.
• Mandates free mailing of absentee ballots.
• Mandates that states adopt new redistricting commissions.
H.R. 1 would cause sweeping and irrevocable damage to the free speech, privacy, and integrity that are central components to free and fair elections in America. We oppose H.R. 1 in the strongest terms, and urge all conservatives to do likewise.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Attorney General President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project Chairman, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
| Adam Brandon President FreedomWorks |
Marjorie Dannenfelser President Susan B. Anthony List |
| The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
Diana Banister President and Partner Shirley & Banister Public Affairs |
| Noah Wall Vice President of Advocacy FreedomWorks |
Cleta Mitchell, Esq. Partner Foley & Lardner LLP |
| Jessica Anderson Vice President Heritage Action for America |
Myron Ebell Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute |
| David Bozell President ForAmerica |
Tom McClusky President March for Life Action |
| Lisa B. Nelson Chief Executive Officer American Legislative Exchange Council |
The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
| The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union (ACU) |
| Daniel Schneider Executive Director American Conservative Union (ACU) |
Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
| The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop White House Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985) |
William L. Walton Chairman CNP Action, Inc. |
| The Honorable Jim DeMint Member, South Carolina United States Senate (2005-2013) |
Rachel Bovard Policy Director Senate Steering Committee (2014-2015) |
| Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project Executive Director, Senate Steering Committee (2003-2012) |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988) |
| Thomas Fitton President Judicial Watch, Inc. |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President, Family Research Council President, Council for National Policy |
| The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
| The Honorable Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II President Senate Conservatives Fund |
L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
| The Honorable Hans A. von Spakovsky Commissioner Federal Election Commission (2006-2007) |
The Honorable Charles J. Cooper Assistant Attorney General, President Ronald Reagan Cooper & Kirk PLLC |
| The Honorable Tom DeLay Former Majority Leader US House of Representatives |
J. Christian Adams President Public Interest Legal Foundation |
| Grover Norquist President Americans for Tax Reform |
The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
| Floyd Brown Chairman America Fighting Back PAC |
Tracie Sharp President & CEO State Policy Network |
| The Honorable Donald Hodel Secretary of Energy, President Reagan Secretary of Interior, President Reagan |
The Honorable James C. Miller III Budget Director, President Ronald Reagan, (1985-1988) |
| Rod D. Martin Founder and CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
Nicholas Stehle Campaign for the American Future |
| Shawn A. Mitchell Former National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) |
Jerry Melvin Former Dean Florida House of Representatives |
| Ellen F. Grigsby Director of Institutional Partnerships Open Doors USA |
Ralph Benko, Esq. Senior Advisor, Economics American Principles Project |
| Melissa Ortiz Founder and Principal Able Americans |
Phil Kerpen President American Commitment |
| Kathleen Patten President and CEO American Target Advertising |
Jenna Ellis Director of Public Policy James Dobson Family Institute |
| Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
Sal Russo Co-Founder and Chief Strategist Tea Party Express |
| Trent England Executive Vice President Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs |
Steve Berger Pastor Grace Chapel |
| The Honorable George K. Rasley, Jr. Managing Editor ConservativeHQ.com |
Rebekah Gantner Executive Director Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund |
| Ed Martin President Phyllis Schlafly Eagles |
Christopher Malagisi Host Conservative Book Club Podcast |
| Roxanne Phillips Member, Executive Committee Council for National Policy |
Richard H. Wright CEO AAndrews Consulting |
| Seton Motley President Less Government |
Stuart Epperson, Sr. Chairman Salem Media Group |
| Jack Park Conservative Donor and Activist |
Dr. Frank Wright President & CEO D. James Kennedy Ministries |
| Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
Kelly Kullberg President America Conservancy |
| Mark Fitzgibbons President of Corporate Affairs American Target Advertising, Inc. |
The Honorable Jake Hoffman President & CEO Rally Forge |
| John F. Tate President America’s Liberty PAC |
Charlie Copeland President Intercollegiate Studies Institute |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
James L. Martin Founder/President 60 Plus Association |
| Bob Carlstrom President The Carlstrom Group, LLC |
Saul Anuzis President 60 Plus Association |
| Gary Marx President Madison Strategies |
Lew Uhler President National Tax Limitation Committee |
| Bailey Amaral Director The Windrose Project |
The Honorable Penny Pullen Former State Legislator Illinois General Assembly |
| The Honorable Michael R. Long State Chairman NYS Conservative Party |
Jay Mount President MDS Communications Corporation |
| Amapola Hansberger President Legal Immigrants for America |
The Honorable Belden Bell Co-Chair Legacy Society The Heritage Society |
| Richard Manning President Americans for Limited Government |
The Honorable Roy S. Moore President Emeritus Foundation for Moral Law |
| Kayla Moore President Foundation for Moral Law |
Matthew Tyrmand Principal Matthew Tyrmand, LLC |
| Chad Connelly President and Founder Faith Wins |
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle Trustee Media Research Center |
| Robert K. Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
Randy M. Long CEO Long Business Advisors, LLC |
| The Honorable Mike Spence Founding President Conservative Republicans of California |
Benjamin R. Case Chief Executive Officer Focused On Fundraising, Inc. |
| The Honorable Mike Hill Representative Florida State House, D1 |
Carolee Adams President Eagle Forum of New Jersey |
| Thomas Pyle President American Energy Alliance |
Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
| Robert D. Thompson Former Administrator The Weyrich Lunch (1999-2016) |
Dan Weber Founder and President Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) |
| Tim Macy Chairman Gun Owners of America |
Dr. Jameson Taylor Vice President for Policy Mississippi Center for Public Policy |
| Brett Healy President The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy |
Donald Bryson President and CEO Civitas Institute |
| Jon Pritchett CEO Mississippi Center for Public Policy |
Emily Davenport Vice President Pelican Institute for Public Policy |
| Heather Lauer Policy Director People United for Privacy |
Paul Gessing President Rio Grande Foundation |
| Dr. Kevin Roberts Executive Director Texas Public Policy Foundation |
Victor Riches President & CEO Goldwater Institute |
| Becky Gerritson Executive Director Eagle Forum of Alabama |
Stella Morabito Author |
| L. Jean Lewis | Barbara Ledeen |
| Rabbi Aryeh Spero Caucus For America |
Brigitte Gabriel Founder & Chairman ACT For America |
| Tom McCabe CEO Freedom Foundation |
Willes K. Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
| Norman Singleton President Campaign for Liberty |
Wayne Hoffman President Idaho Freedom Foundation |
| Mike Stenhouse CEO RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity |
Rob Chambers Vice President AFA Action |
| Annette Thompson Meeks CEO Freedom Foundation of Minnesota |
Joseph G. Lehman President Mackinac Center for Public Policy |
| Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
David Williams President Taxpayers Protection Alliance |
| Khadine L. Ritter Chairman Eagle Forum of Ohio |
William Shaker CEO Washington Marketing Group |
| Richard D. Hayes Partner Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, LLP |
Mario Navarro da Costa Director, Washington Bureau Tradition, Family, Property |
| Alan P. Dye Senior Partner Webster, Chamberlain & Bean |
Sean Noble President American Encore |
| The Honorable Diana Denman Presidential Appointee President Reagan Administration |
Debbie Georgatos CEO CWT Publications, LLC |
| Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
Andresen Blom President Hawaiian Values |
| Joseph A. Morris Attorney and Partner Morris & De La Rosa |
Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman American Conservative Union |
| Rebecca Hagelin Secretary Council for National Policy |
James Clymer Vice President Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund |
| Lee A. Beaman CEO Beaman Automotive Group |
William W. Pascoe, III Board Member Tea Party Patriots Action |
| Peter Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
Melvin Adams Past President Renewanation |
| Curt Levey President Committee for Justice |
Judson Phillips Founder Tea Party Nation |
| Michelle Easton President Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women |
Col. Francis X. De Luca USMC(Ret) President Emeritus Civitas Institute |
| Susan A. Carleson Chairman/CEO American Civil Right Union |
Mario H. Lopez President Hispanic Leadership Fund |
| Paavo Ensio Chairman Minerals Group |
Ambassador Henry F. Cooper President Reagan’s Chief Defense and Space Negotiator Former SDI Director |
| The Honorable Terrence Scanlon Retired Chairman and President Capital Research Center |
Brent Mead CEO Montana Policy Institute |
| David Bossie President Citizens United |
James C. Dobson Ph.D. Founder & President James Dobson Family Institute |
| Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
Anne S. Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
| Eunie Smith President Eagle Forum |
Adam Kincaid Executive Director Fair Lines America |
| Michael L. Baller Member Council for National Policy |
Dr. Scott Magill Executive Director Veterans in Defense of Liberty |
All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.
