JANUARY 11, 2022
Contact:
Elizabeth Fairchild
efairchild@businessfwd.org
202-861-1270
Washington, DC — President Biden is in Georgia today, where he will deliver a speech to defend democracy and the freedom to vote. Since the For the People Act — and the updated Freedom to Vote Act — were introduced last March, the Senate has blocked the bill from entering debate four times. The President’s speech comes a week after Senator Schumer announced that the Senate would begin the year with a final push for “next steps on urgently-needed voting rights legislation.” Liz Fairchild, Executive Director of Business Forward, issued the following statement:
“Businesses are successful in competitive, transparent, and responsive markets. The same is true of our democracy. Since the 2020 election, major employers in Georgia and across the country have been speaking up to defend voter access because companies look for a talented workforce, sound infrastructure, good schools, and a strong community. States compete with one another for new investment and jobs and restrictive voter laws send the wrong signal and turn off investors — once you start losing bids, it gets harder to catch up.”
Georgia’s state legislature introduced 30 bills last year that make it harder for Georgians to vote — and more than 550 anti-voter bills have been introduced nationwide. Fairchild added, “With less than a year until the 2022 midterm elections, President Biden’s call to action comes at a critical time for our democracy.”
Download our resources to learn more about the business case for democracy:
- Business Leader Statement on the Freedom to Vote Act
- Business Leaders Explain Why They’re Speaking Up on Voting Rights
- State Employers Defend Democracy and the Freedom to Vote
- Business Leaders on January 6 and the Rule of Law
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Business Forward helps local business leaders make the “business case” for climate action, affordable healthcare, immigration reform, diversity and inclusion, sensible tax laws, criminal justice reform, infrastructure investment, and other pro-growth reforms. These leaders brief policymakers, work with local media, publish op-eds, submit testimony, advocate online, and organize their communities. We also promote their recommendations through issue briefs, survey reports, training manuals, and podcasts. More than 650 mayors, governors, members of Congress, and senior Administration officials have participated in our briefings.