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H.R. 1: For the People Act of 2019

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H.R. 1: For the People Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-03 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 39.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 10 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 115 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR1 (2019-03-08), Agreed to. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 39. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

For the People Act of 2019

Plain summary

For the People Act of 2019 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity, election security, political spending, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration and voting access and limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill provides for states to establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. The bill also sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, protecting the security of the voter rolls, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect the security and integrity of U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. This bill addresses campaign spending, including by expanding the ban on foreign nationals contributing to or spending on elections; expanding disclosure rules pertaining to organizations spending money during elections, campaign advertisements, and online platforms; and revising disclaimer requirements for political advertising. This bill establishes an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The system involves federal matching of small contributions for qualified candidates. This bill sets forth provisions related to ethics in all three branches of government. Specifically, the bill requires a code of ethics for federal judges and justices, prohibits Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, expands enforcement of regulations governing foreign agents, and establishes additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill also requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax returns.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

For the People Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3] · 236 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1, For the People Act of 2019 (2019-03-01); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1, For the People Act of 2019 (2019-03-07)

Cosponsors on this site

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Sean Casten (D-IL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Angie Craig (D-MN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 176 more.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr1 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116