Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) commented Wednesday on the House passage of H.R. 4617, the Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act.
Among other provisions, the SHIELD Act includes H.R. 3281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019, introduced earlier this year by Congressman McEachin and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler.
“Every citizen should be able to exercise their right to vote,” said Congressman McEachin. “In recent elections, we have seen repeated attempts at voter suppression. The SHIELD Act, which importantly includes my Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019, will take the steps necessary to mitigate deceptive voting practices, prevent foreign interference in our elections, and make sure every American’s vote counts. With elections fast approaching, we have a solemn duty to protect the integrity of our elections now more than ever.”
Congressman McEachin’s Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019 prohibits efforts to willfully spread misinformation about the timing, polling locations, general voter eligibility requirements, or procedures of federal elections for the purpose of manipulating or influencing the electoral process.
The SHIELD Act takes critical steps to protect our democracy, including:
- Requiring campaign committees to report illicit offers of campaign assistance from foreign governments and their agents;
- Helping prevent foreign interference in future elections by improving transparency of online political advertisements;
- Closing loopholes that allow foreign nationals and foreign governments to contribute in U.S. elections;
- Restricting exchange of campaign information between candidates and foreign governments and their agents; and
- Prohibiting deceptive practices about voting procedures and voter intimidation.
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