Here's what's in the House's just-passed election reform bill


House Democrats just passed a massive bill that would dramatically overhaul America's electoral system. However, it's almost certainly hit a dead end.
H.R. 1, as the 700-page election bill is known, was the first thing Democrats introduced when they retook the House in January. It passed Friday along party lines and, even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has refused to even allow a vote on the measure, signals electoral reform will be a main focus during House Democrats' next two years on top, The Washington Post reports.
Under the sweeping proposal, Americans would automatically be registered to vote once they turn 18, The Hill notes. States would be banned from preventing convicted felons from voting, political nonprofits would have to reveal so-called "dark money" donors, and Election Day would be made a federal holiday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Another piece of the bill would fight partisan gerrymandering — something former Attorney General Eric Holder said he'd work toward when he ruled out a 2020 Democratic run. Several other provisions of the bill have come up in 2020 Democrats' platforms so far.
Some of those major reforms would likely boost voter turnout for Democrats, something McConnell recognized when he called the Election Day holiday proposal a "power grab" earlier this year. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) countered by calling H.R. 1 "a power grab on behalf of the people," the Post says. Even if the bill did somehow make it to President Trump's desk, he has pledged to veto it.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Trump picks conservative BLS critic to lead BLS
speed read He has nominated the Heritage Foundation's E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
-
Trump takes over DC police, deploys National Guard
Speed Read The president blames the takeover on rising crime, though official figures contradict this concern
-
Trump sends FBI to patrol DC, despite falling crime
Speed Read Washington, D.C., 'has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,' Trump said
-
Trump officials reinstating 2 Confederate monuments
Speed Read The administration has plans to 'restore Confederate names and symbols' discarded in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder
-
Trump nominates Powell critic for vacant Fed seat
speed read Stephen Miran, the chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and a fellow critic of Fed chair Jerome Powell, has been nominated to fill a seat on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline