Tor the People Act' Worth Watching.

• Date: 01 June 2021
• Author: Moran, Gene
• Published date: 01 June 2021
• Author: Moran, Gene

House Resolution 1 (H.R.I), colloquially known as the "For the People Act," passed through the House with no Republican votes, 220-210, in March, and moved to the Senate, where its companion is S.R.I.

The legislation revisits various nagging issues with a history of confounding regulation and policy efforts, including voting rights and access, campaign finance, lobbying, financial disclosure requirements, and various ethics rules applicable to all three government branches.

As with most prior efforts to curb unwanted behaviors by elected and unelected government practitioners, the bill sets a tone for this congressional session, capitalizes on topical issues of the day, and passes the House without bipartisan support. The bill's fate in the Senate is uncertain. Its sweeping nature makes it ripe to be scaled back if it is to see the final passage.

However, there are some specifics that should be noted as they offer helpful insight into the direction of future policies and concerns that generate political heat. As elections near, political heat often moves the policy needle.

First, the bill broadens the definition of "lobbying activities" in federal law to...