Proposal would modernize the law.
Senators have proposed legislation to reform a 19th-century election law. The move is in answer to claims that the vice president could have rejected disputed slates of electors while certifying the 2020 presidential election results.
Senators Angus King of Maine, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Dick Durbin of Illinois issued the following joint statement: “Experts across the political spectrum agree that the Electoral Count Act of 1887 needs to be updated to reflect the current realities and threats facing the United States and our election process.”
“In response, as leaders on the Senate Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections and members of Senate Democratic leadership, we have been working with legal experts and election law scholars to develop legislation that would modernize the framework of the Electoral Count Act of 1887,” they continued, adding that they do not view the proposal as a substitute for Democrats’ voting rights legislation.
“We continue to support legislation to protect voting rights prior to Election Day, and strongly believe that we must clarify ambiguities in the electoral process after Election Day to truly ensure the will of the voters will prevail,” the senators said.
Senator King called the legislation a “discussion draft” and said the proposal would also prohibit state legislatures from appointing electors after Election Day in an effort to overturn their own election results.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the president is “open to and part of conversations about the Electoral Count Act,” but the administration does not believe reforms to the law should be a “replacement” for the voting rights legislation it is backing which is currently stalled in the Senate.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of the Senate as they deliberate updating the election law.
- For Congress as they seek to reform aspects of governance and societal norms.
- For the president to seek God’s direction as he receives input from aides and advisors.
Sources: Washington Examiner, The Hill
