For the People Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

H.R. 1 is bold, transformative legislation, which fights voter suppression, promotes access to the ballot, cracks down on money in politics, and provides transparency to the American people.

Passing this bill has never been more urgent. We must act to protect and preserve our democracy.

My amendment gets to the heart of H.R. 1 and recognizes the contributions that young people continue to make to our democracy.

By lowering the Federal voting age from 18 to 16 years of age, my amendment would enfranchise young Americans to help shape and form the policies that will set the course for our future.

From police violence, to immigration reform, to climate change, to the future of work and the minimum wage, our young people are organizing, mobilizing, and calling us to action. They are at the forefront of social movements and have more than earned inclusion in our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, 16- and 17-year-old constituents of mine are supporting their families. They are working, not for enrichment or to build a resume, but because they have no choice. They are attending school full-time and taking care of loved ones in the midst of the COVID crisis.

Young people are contributing both to the labor force and their local economies by paying taxes, and yet they are deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

Some have questioned the maturity of our youth. I don't.

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds today possess wisdom and maturity defined by today's challenges, hardships, and opportunities.

They deserve and demand a government that is accountable to them, a government that values their voices, and understands the depth and breadth of their lived experience.

They are not a monolith. But they are nation-builders, living through a global pandemic, confronting racial injustice, and rebuilding our democracy.

Now is the time for us to meet the moment and enfranchise 16- and 17- year-olds.

I would like to thank my colleagues and dear friends, Representatives Meng and Schakowsky, for their leadership on this issue and for cosponsoring my amendment.

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, we must do right by the young organizers and activists who have fought for our democracy. They have a stake in our democracy, and they deserve to have a stake at the ballot box.

Civil rights heroes like the late John Lewis taught us through example that no one is too young to fight for access to the ballot. In fact, he supported this very amendment last Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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