| 1 | 1 | | 87S30295 TBO-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Reynolds H.C.R. No. 9 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passage of the Freedom to Vote Act would help to |
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| 7 | 7 | | protect Americans' right to vote; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, On September 14, 2021, the Freedom to Vote Act was |
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| 9 | 9 | | introduced in Congress by a group of moderate and progressive |
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| 10 | 10 | | Democratic senators with the support of Senate Majority Leader |
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| 11 | 11 | | Chuck Schumer; representing a compromise on issues addressed in the |
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| 12 | 12 | | previously introduced For the People Act, the Freedom to Vote Act |
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| 13 | 13 | | abandons the former bill's more controversial elements while still |
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| 14 | 14 | | including provisions that prevent discrimination, make voting more |
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| 15 | 15 | | accessible, reform campaign funding, and modernize election |
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| 16 | 16 | | infrastructure; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, If passed, the Freedom to Vote Act would offer |
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| 18 | 18 | | protections for people with disabilities, prohibit deceptive and |
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| 19 | 19 | | inequitable practices, and restore the federal voting rights of |
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| 20 | 20 | | formerly incarcerated citizens; it would also implement automatic |
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| 21 | 21 | | voter registration, prevent unnecessary limitations on online and |
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| 22 | 22 | | same-day voter registration, and establish national standards for |
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| 23 | 23 | | early voting, mail voting, and voter identification; by breaking |
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| 24 | 24 | | down barriers to the ballot box, the bill would ensure that every |
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| 25 | 25 | | eligible voter has the opportunity to participate in free and fair |
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| 26 | 26 | | elections; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The Freedom to Vote Act would enhance transparency |
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| 28 | 28 | | in campaign funding by requiring certain entities to disclose all |
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| 29 | 29 | | major donors, and it would strengthen rules that keep super PACs and |
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| 30 | 30 | | other external groups independent of candidates; in addition, the |
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| 31 | 31 | | bill provides grants for states to update their voting machines, |
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| 32 | 32 | | and it includes improvements to the Federal Election Commission's |
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| 33 | 33 | | enforcement process, expanded penalties for destroying or altering |
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| 34 | 34 | | election records, and procedures for states to conduct postelection |
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| 35 | 35 | | audits; these changes would promote security at every step of the |
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| 36 | 36 | | electoral process; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, The freedom to vote is fundamental to a successful |
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| 38 | 38 | | democracy, and Congress should take action to protect elections |
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| 39 | 39 | | from unjust practices and unethical interference; now, therefore, |
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| 40 | 40 | | be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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| 42 | 42 | | 3rd Called Session, hereby respectfully urge the United States |
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| 43 | 43 | | Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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| 45 | 45 | | copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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| 46 | 46 | | the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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| 47 | 47 | | Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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| 48 | 48 | | members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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| 49 | 49 | | this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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| 50 | 50 | | memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |
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