For the People Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. BUSH. Madam Speaker, St. Louis and I rise today in support of the en bloc amendment to H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

Our country's unhoused community members are criminalized, disregarded, and demonized. I have been unhoused and, in those bleak days, I felt as though my own government had forsaken me.

My amendment to expand voting access to our unhoused community is rooted in love, a love that says you do not need an address for your vote to matter.

We must ensure our unhoused community members and our neighbors are protected from States that want to suppress their votes.

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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Ms. BUSH. Madam Speaker, St. Louis and I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which would restore the right to vote to our community members serving sentences for felony convictions.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Congressman Jones for this partnership.

Madam Speaker, America does not love all of its people, and we see that. Right now, more than 5 million people are legally barred from participating in our elections as a result of criminal laws. That is, 1 in 44 Americans, 500,000 Latinx Americans, 1.2 million women, and 1 in 6 Black folks.

Madam Speaker, this cannot continue. Disenfranchising our own citizens, it is not justice.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

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I thank my colleagues, Representative Sarbanes and Representative Lofgren, for their leadership on this bill.

Madam Speaker, just to put it out there as a reminder, we are talking about actual people. We are talking about humanity. We are talking about access. We are talking about the right to vote. These are people. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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