Klobuchar Statement on Inclusion of Electoral Count Reform Act in Year End Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, released the statement below after the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887, was included as part of the omnibus government funding package. The bill reflects Klobuchar’s bipartisan manager’s amendment with Ranking Member Roy Blunt (R-MO), adopted by a 14-1 vote at a Rules Committee markup in September, that made key improvements to the legislation drafted by the bipartisan working group led by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

“We must update the antiquated Electoral Count Act to ensure that electoral votes for president accurately reflect the will of the people in each state and to improve the process for counting electoral votes in Congress. The Electoral Count process was never meant to be a trigger point for an insurrection and that is why we are reforming it. We passed this legislation out of the Rules Committee with a strong bipartisan vote of 14-1, and I worked to get it included in this end-of-the-year bill. We are now one step closer to protecting our democracy and preventing another January 6th.”

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