I will never forget
Dear Friend,
Today marks two years since the January 6th insurrection. That day I witnessed firsthand things I never thought I’d see at the United States Capitol. Our democracy was under attack. Lives were lost.
I will never forget the bravery of the U.S. Capitol Police officers, later joined by D.C. Metro Police officers, National Guardsmen, and Capitol staff. Their selflessness saved lives and made it possible for Congress to come together to uphold our constitutional duty and affirm the will of the American people by certifying the election.
Our democracy was pushed to the brink, but it did not break. January 6th was a sobering reminder that we must not take democracy for granted. It requires our constant investment.
That is why at the end of last year, I joined senators from both parties to pass critical reforms to our election laws that will shore up some of the vulnerabilities that former President Trump and his allies attempted to exploit. That includes reforms to the Electoral Count Act and stronger security measures for nonpartisan local elections workers.
We are still experiencing the lasting impacts of the insurrection. There is a very concerted effort by some Republican-led State Legislatures to disenfranchise voters and make it more difficult for Americans to make our voices heard at the ballot box. Some candidates in the last election continued to spread the former president's provably false lies about our elections. Just this week, some of the leading architects of the insurrection and promoters of the Big Lie in Congress have ground business in the U.S. House of Representatives to a standstill.
Democracy is not automatic. As Americans, we must all stand firm in our defense of our nation’s hard-won and constitutional right to vote in free and fair elections.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator
