FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2023

CONTACT
Seth Nieman, West End Strategy Team
snieman@westendstrategy.com; (202) 702-3302

Interfaith Alliance Backs Two Key Bills to Protect Democracy 

WASHINGTON—National interfaith advocates are applauding two new bills proposed in the U.S. Senate that would defend our electoral system from political attacks and expand voting rights. Senator Warnock along with Senators Klobuchar, Baldwin, Merkley, Fetterman, Welch, Hirono, and Warner this week introduced the Preventing Election Subversion Act, which provides strong protections for local election officials against a wave of legislation that seeks to penalize them and undermine their ability to do their jobs.

Interfaith Alliance was also proud to endorse another critical bill introduced last week in the Senate by Senators Cardin and Klobuchar, and in the House this week by Representative Crockett (TX-30) the Democracy Restoration Act, which addresses the patchwork system for restoring access to vote in federal elections for the millions of Americans with former felony convictions.

In response, The Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:

“Our democracy is built on the idea that the people alone get to decide who will represent them in office. But that bedrock value is under threat by extremists who are bent on empowering themselves at the expense of the majority of Americans.

“The Preventing Election Subversion Act and the Democracy Restoration Act are important steps forward to protect the integrity of our electoral system and ensure that every person – no matter where they come from or who they vote for – can make their voice heard at the ballot box.

“For far too long, people of color have been systematically denied the right to vote by felony disenfranchisement laws, a vestige of the racist Jim Crow era. The Democracy Restoration Act is an important step towards eradicating these laws that perpetuate racial inequity and bar full participation in our democracy.

“As an organization dedicated to building an inclusive democracy, Interfaith Alliance commends the co-sponsors’ leadership of both bills aimed at defending our sacred right to vote.”

Interfaith Alliance is the only national interfaith organization dedicated to protecting the integrity of both religion and democracy in America. As part of its mission to build a multireligious, pluralistic democracy that safeguards every American’s fundamental rights, the organization has long stood for equal access to the ballot box and against efforts to suppress the vote and damage our democratic institutions.

The Preventing Election Subversion Act and the Democracy Restoration Act are both included in The Freedom to Vote Act, a critical pro-democracy bill endorsed by Interfaith Alliance last week which outlines strong provisions to expand voter access and protect our electoral system from political interference.

If you are interested in speaking further with Interfaith Alliance, please contact Seth Nieman at (202) 702-3302 or snieman@westendstrategy.com.

Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.