Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on partisan gerrymandering:
“Today’s decision joins Citizens United v. FEC and Shelby v. Holder as further evidence that the Supreme Court does not appreciate the relentless assault on our democracy. The rise of extreme partisan gerrymandering has insulated politicians from real accountability and poisoned the public’s faith in our government. Voters should choose their elected representatives, not the other way around.
“In today’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts noted that ‘the avenue for reform established by the Framers, and used by Congress in the past, remains open.’ This week, I reintroduced The Fair Maps Act, my legislation to ban partisan gerrymandering across the country. If the Supreme Court will not act, Congress must.”
Bennet’s Fair Maps Act would prohibit partisan gerrymandering to ensure congressional districting plans result in fair, effective, and accountable representation for all people in the United States. To enforce this prohibition, the bill would provide standing to every eligible voter to challenge maps that unduly favor a particular political party. It also would provide guidance to courts and map-makers on how to fix gerrymandered maps.
Bennet first introduced the Fair Maps Act in 2018. At the time, it was the only federal legislation to prohibit partisan gerrymandering. Elements of the bill were since incorporated into HR1, the historic political reform package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2019.
The text of the Fair Maps Act is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.