March 6, 2021
Dear friends,
Our nation faces unprecedented challenges: a once in a century pandemic; troubling job losses and economic uncertainty; an increasingly costly global climate crisis; and beneath it all, systemic racism that makes each of these more dangerous and deadly for our black and brown neighbors, friends and loved ones.
As we work to confront these challenges, we must also face a growing crisis of faith in our government. Whether grappling with the false narratives being pushed by political extremists, or the very real foreign threats we know are ongoing to undermine our government and divide our nation, America’s democratic republic is under threat. This week, my colleagues and I stepped up to respond in the House of Representatives, voting to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act.
This historic legislation advances commonsense ethics and good government reforms including funding for states to upgrade election security systems, basic election standards that simplify and expand voters’ access to the ballot, and new transparency requirements and election resources that confront the outsized influence of big money in politics. After years of distortion and outright lies from the last administration, the For the People Act makes good on the vital effort to restore public confidence, root out corruption in Washington and work to ensure the voices and votes of every American are heard and respected.
Among its key reforms, H.R. 1:
- Promotes and protects fair and clean elections: making it easier for Americans to cast legal votes by removing institutional barriers such as onerous registration requirements and limited voting hours; enhancing federal support for voting system security and promoting integrity by restoring the Voting Rights Act and putting an end to partisan gerrymandering to prevent politicians from picking their voters.
- Ends the dominance of big, dark money in politics: shining a light on dark money in politics and requiring all organizations involved in political activity disclose their large donors; strengthening oversight and amplifying the political power of everyday Americans—not special interests—by creating a multiple dollar matching system for small individual donations.
- Ensures public servants work for the public interest: Expanding conflict of interest law and divestment requirements; requiring presidents to disclose their tax returns to the American people and giving teeth to federal ethics oversight by overhauling the Office of Government Ethics.
We have a long road ahead to deliver the needed reforms that will positively transform our most critical institutions, but H.R. 1 takes a powerful step in the right direction.
That’s not all we accomplished this week in the House. Just hours before we passed the For the People Act, we also voted to approve legislation that addresses our nation’s insidious history of systemic racism and puts community safety and justice for all at the heart of policing culture in America: the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
The murder of George Floyd last year shocked the conscience of our nation. Since that moment, Americans from every corner and walk of life have come together to peacefully protest and raise our voices in a united call for justice.
This is the second time we have passed this legislation through the House of Representatives, and while the Senate delays and defers, incidents of unnecessary and unjustified violence at the hands of our police officers continue to persist across the country—and it is often communities of color, people with mental health disorders and other vulnerable groups that are disproportionately bearing the brunt of this violence. We make matters far worse when precious little action is taken to hold policing abuses accountable. This legislation raises the bar of transparency and works to reverse the presence of police brutality and racial injustice in the practice of law enforcement.
As public servants and members of Congress, our priority must always be to enact and defend the will of the people and protect the communities we represent. I, for one, will never stop fighting to uphold these sacred duties.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind here is some information from the IRS that may be of interest to you:
- For first-time filers and those who usually don't have a federal filing requirement, the IRS recommends you consider filing a 2020 tax return because you may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, a new refundable credit, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the COVID-related Tax Relief Act.
- Individuals who were eligible to receive the Economic Impact Payments, but did not receive the first or second or received less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 federal tax return to do so.
- People who were not eligible for either or both of the Economic Impact Payments may still be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit since it's based on their 2020 tax return information.
- Those with lower income in 2020 or who were claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return in 2018 or 2019, but who cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return in 2020, may now be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit.
- Taxpayers who received the full amounts of both Economic Impact Payments won't claim the Recovery Rebate Credit or include any information about the payments on their 2020 tax return
- Taxpayers with incomes of $72,000 or less, can use brand-name software to prepare and file their federal tax returns electronically for free with IRS Free File.
- Visit IRS.gov/filing for details about IRS Free File, Free File Fillable Forms, free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites in the local community or finding a trusted tax professional.