Thread by @Heritage

The left is pushing a false narrative about #HR1 ahead of today's vote in the House—and the media certainly isn't going to call them out on it.

We should be working to secure elections and restore faith in outcomes.

Here's how HR1 would send us in the opposite direction:

#HR1 would seize the authority of states to regulate voter registration and the voting process—by forcing states to implement early voting, automatic voter registration, same-day registration, online voter registration, and no-fault absentee balloting.

#HR1 would make it easier to commit fraud and promote chaos at the polls through same-day registration.

Election officials would have no time to verify the accuracy of voter registration information and the eligibility of an individual to vote and could not anticipate the number of ballots and precinct workers that would be needed at specific polling locations.

#HR1 would hurt voter turnout

Mandating 15 days of early voting diffuses the intensity of get-out-the-vote efforts—and would raise the cost of campaigns.

#HR1 would degrade the accuracy of registration lists by requiring states to automatically register all individuals (as opposed to “citizens”) from state and federal databases.

This would register large numbers of ineligible voters.

#HR1 would open the door for hackers and cyber criminals to commit massive voter registration fraud through online voter registration that is not tied to an existing state record, such as a driver’s license.

#HR1 would make it a criminal offense for a state official to reject a voter registration application even when it is rejected “under color of law” because the official believes the individual is ineligible to vote.

#HR1 would also require states to allow 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to register.

When combined with a ban on voter ID and restrictions on the ability to challenge the eligibility of a voter, this would effectively ensure that underage individuals could vote with impunity.

#HR1 would require states to count ballots cast by voters outside of their assigned precincts—overriding the precinct system used by almost all states that allows election officials to monitor votes, staff polling places, provide enough ballots, and prevent election fraud.

#HR1 would mandate no-fault absentee ballots—the tool of choice for vote thieves.

It would ban witness signature or notarization requirements for absentee ballots and force states to accept absentee ballots received up to 10 days after Election Day—as long as they are postmarked by Election Day

#HR1 would require states to allow vote trafficking (vote harvesting) so that any third parties—including campaign staffers and political consultants—can pick up and deliver absentee ballots.

#HR1 would prevent election officials from checking the eligibility and qualifications of voters and removing ineligible voters.

This includes restrictions on using the USPS national change-of-address system to verify the address of registered voters or participating in state programs that compare voter registration lists to detect individuals registered in multiple states

It also would substantially limit the public release of voter registration information—making it almost impossible for nonpartisan organizations to verify accuracy of registration rolls.

#HR1 would ban state voter ID laws by forcing states to allow individuals to vote without an ID and merely signing a statement in which they claim they are who they say they are.

#HR1 would violate the First Amendment with respect to a vast range of legal activity.

Voter intimidation or coercion that prevents someone from registering or voting is already a federal crime—but #HR1 would add a provision criminalizing “hindering, interfering, or preventing” anyone from registering or voting, which is so vague and so broad that...

... it could prevent providing any information to election officials about the ineligibility of an individual, such as an applicant not being a U.S. citizen.

#HR1 would expand regulation and government censorship of campaigns and political activity and speech, including online and policy-related speech.

#HR1 would impose onerous legal and administrative compliance burdens and costs on candidates, citizens, civic groups, unions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

Many of these provisions violate the First Amendment, protect incumbents, and reduce the accountability of politicians to the public.

Its onerous disclosure requirements for nonprofit organizations would subject their members and donors to intimidation and harassment—the modern equivalent of the type of disclosure requirements #SCOTUS held violated associational rights protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

#HR1 would reduce the number of Federal Election Commission members from six to five, allowing the political party with three commission seats to control the commission and engage in partisan enforcement activities.

#HR1 would prohibit state election officials from participating in federal elections and impose numerous other “ethics” rules that are unconstitutional or unfairly restrict political activity...

... eliminating the ability of the residents of specific states to make their own decisions about what rules should govern their state government officials.

#HR1 would require states to restore the ability of felons to vote the moment they are out of prison regardless of uncompleted parole, probation, or restitution requirements.

Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment gives states the constitutional authority to decide when felons who committed crimes against their fellow citizens may vote again.

FYSA: Congress cannot override a constitutional amendment with a statute.

#HR1 would transfer the right to draw congressional districts from state legislatures to “independent” commissions whose members are unaccountable to voters.

#HR1 would make it a violation of federal law to engage in “partisan” redistricting and mandate the inclusion of alien population, both legal and illegal, in all redistricting.

This is an anti-democratic, unconstitutional measure that would take away the ability of the citizens of a state to make their own decisions about redistricting.

#HR1 would authorize the IRS to engage in partisan activity—by permitting the IRS to investigate and consider the political and policy positions of nonprofit organizations before granting tax-exempt status...

... thus enabling IRS officials to target organizations engaging in First Amendment activity with disfavored views.

#HR1 would limit access to federal courts for anyone *challenging* H.R. 1

(read that twice)

The bill would prohibit the filing of any lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of H.R. 1 anywhere except in the District Court for DC...

And would allow the court to order all plaintiffs and intervenors, regardless of their number (such as all 50 states), “to file joint papers or to be represented by a single attorney at oral argument,” severely limiting legal representation and due process rights of challengers

#HR1 would establish a “Commission to Protect Democratic Institutions” that would threaten the independence of the judiciary.

#HR1 defines “democratic institutions” as those that are “essential to ensuring an independent judiciary, free and fair elections and the rule of law.”

The commission would be given the authority to compel judges to testify and justify their legal decisions, threatening their independent judgment and subjecting them to political pressure and harassment.