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For Immediate Release
September, 05 2019, 12:00am EDT
Contact:
Mike Stankiewicz, mstankiewicz@citizen.org, (202) 588-7779
Angela Bradbery, abradbery@citizen.org, (202) 588-7767
Congress Must Stop Big Business, Wealthy Donors From Influencing Our Elections
100-Plus Groups Call on Congress to Overturn Citizens United
WASHINGTON
More than 100 organizations, including major civil rights, environmental, labor, LGBTQ and good government groups, today called on members of the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor H.J. Res. 2, the bipartisan Democracy For All constitutional amendment that would return democracy to the people.
The 123 signers include American Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, American Promise, Center for Biological Diversity, Color of Change, Common Cause, Communications Workers of America, Courage Campaign, Daily Kos, the Democratic Coalition, End Citizens United, Franciscan Action Network, Greenpeace, League of Conservation Voters, LeftAction, Modern Military Association of America, MoveOn, National Black Justice Coalition, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, Peace Action, People For the American Way, Public Citizen, SEIU, UniteBlue and dozens of others. They asked House members to support the amendment and restore the authority of Congress and the states to set commonsense rules for the raising and spending of money on elections to advance political equality for all Americans.
The letter coincides with a national call-in day that urges constituents to demand their member of Congress support H.J. Res. 2.
The amendment would overturn the disastrous Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed unlimited amounts of political spending to influence our elections. There are 139 co-sponsors in the House, including one Republican cosponsor. All 47 Democrats have signed on to the Senate version of the amendment.
"The Supreme Court's decisions have pushed America to a tipping point in which big-moneyed interests exert control over all levers of government," the letter said. "America needs to be responsive to the people, not to corporations and special interests, or it is no longer a democratic republic."
For years, the American people have demanded lawmakers curb the influence of money in politics. In June, New Hampshire became the 20th state to call on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to address the harm caused by Citizens United. These 20 states as well as more than 800 localities across the country, representing more than 140 million Americans, have expressed support for an amendment.
Read the letter here.
Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people - not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters throughout the country.
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