WASHINGTON _ The House will vote on a package of voting rights, campaign finance and ethics overhauls this month, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a "Dear Colleague" letter Monday night.
House Democrats have introduced the government overhaul package as HR 1 to reflect its priority status. They believe fundamentally changing the way government operates will increase public buy-in as Democrats pursue an economic policy agenda focused on issues such as heath care, infrastructure and climate change.
"During this Black History Month, I am pleased we will be advancing H.R. 1, which contains Congressman John Lewis's Voter Empowerment Act ensuring equal access to the ballot for every eligible voter, and lays the groundwork of the subsequent passage of Congresswoman Terri Sewell's Voting Rights Advancement Act," Pelosi wrote, citing two black lawmakers who have sponsored legislation that is part of the Democrats' effort to overhaul voting rights laws.
Democrats had initially planned to include Sewell's bill as part of the HR 1 package but realized they would need more time to hold hearings to establish a record that will meet the requirements of the 2013 Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder. HR 1 says Congress should respond to that decision, which declared part of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, by updating the formula that determines which state and local governments need federal preclearance before they can implement changes to their voting laws.
Pelosi's announcement marks the first time anyone in senior leadership has in recent weeks provided a timeline for advancing the massive legislative package. Leaders had initially estimated it would be ready for floor action in late January or February but that was before the partial government shutdown that lasted 35 days.
The shutdown caused delays in normal House floor operations, including the process for doling out of committee assignments that lasted throughout most of January. Committees are only just beginning their legislative work.
The Judiciary Committee had a hearing on HR 1 last week and the Oversight and Reform Committee will hold one this week. At least a few of the other eight panels with jurisdiction over the measure may hold hearings as well.
Some of the committees would also need to hold markups before the measure can reach the floor, meaning the House is unlikely to vote on the package before the last week or two of the month.
HR 1 has 227 co-sponsors, more than enough members needed for the House to pass it. The Senate, however, is not expected to take up the bill, as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already panned it as Democratic "power grab."
