Issue Position: Civil Rights

Issue Position

Derek wants to see reforms that modernize our voter registration systems and ensure equal access to the ballot box for all Americans. That's why he is a cosponsor of the Voter Empowerment Act, which will ensure access to online voter registration and increase accountability in election administration.

Derek believes that no one should ever be regarded as a second-class citizen, or denied federal benefits or services because of who they love. Derek is a cosponsor of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act which would prohibit employment discrimination based on orientation.

Derek believes that the right to privacy is a fundamental part of our democracy, and that strong checks and balances are required to make sure that the national security and law enforcement professionals who keep us safe don't undermine the very liberties they are sworn to protect. That's why he supported the USA FREEDOM Act, which reins in bulk data collection, limits the data the government can gather, and improves transparency so technology companies can report information on NSA requests. Derek believes that we can and should go further, by completely ending bulk data collection and establishing a strong court advocate to focus on protecting civil liberties.

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