Senator Collins Delivers Remarks at Rules Committee Hearing on Bill She Co-Authored to Reform the Electoral Count Act
Click HERE to watch Senator Collins’ remarks.
Click HERE to read Senator Collins’ remarks.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) appeared before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration at a hearing titled “The Electoral Count Act: The Need for Reform.”
Senators Collins and Joe Manchin (D-WV) were invited to offer remarks by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO)—the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Rules Committee—to discuss the bill they introduced on July 20th as part of a bipartisan group of 16 Senators. Their bill would reform and modernize the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887. Endorsements from legal scholars, campaign experts, and organizations from across the political spectrum have rolled in to express support for this bipartisan effort led by Senators Collins and Manchin.
“In four out of the past six presidential elections, the Electoral Count Act's process for counting electoral votes has been abused, with frivolous objections being raised by members of both parties. But it took the violent breach of the Capitol on January 6 to really shine a spotlight on how urgent the need for reform was,” said Senator Collins. “Over the past several months, a dedicated bipartisan group of senators has worked very hard to craft the legislation before you, united in our determination to prevent the flaws in this 1887 law from being used to undermine future presidential elections. Nothing is more essential to the survival of a democracy than the orderly transfer of power. And there is nothing more essential to the orderly transfer of power than clear rules for affecting it. I urge my colleagues in the Senate and the House to seize this opportunity to enact the sensible and much-needed reforms before the end of this Congress.”
The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, is co-sponsored by Senators Collins, Manchin, Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Warner (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
The bill includes the following provisions:
1) Electoral Count Reform Act. This section would reform and modernize the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887 to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for President. It would replace ambiguous provisions of the 19th-century law with clear procedures that maintain appropriate state and federal roles in selecting the President and Vice President of the United States as set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Click HERE for a one-pager on the Electoral Count Act reform section.
2) Presidential Transition Improvement Act. This section would help to promote the orderly transfer of power by providing clear guidelines for when eligible candidates for President or Vice President may receive federal resources to support their transition into office. Click HERE for a one-pager on the presidential transition section.
Click HERE for the text of the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act.
