WASHINGTON – Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-IL) issued the following statement upon the release of a letter led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, including over 300 organizations, opposing H.R. 1.

The opposition letter reads, "Although its supporters focus on aspects of the bill that purport to bring more people into the political process, other parts of the legislation are clearly designed to have precisely the opposite effect – pushing certain voices, representing large segments of the electorate and our economy, out of the political process altogether."

Some of the organizations included in this letter are: Agricultural Retailers Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, American Bankers Association, American Financial Services Association, American Petroleum Institute, Associated Builders and Contractors, Food Marketing Institute, March for Life Action, National Association of Manufacturers, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Waste & Recycling Association, and many others.

"Campaign finance law is inherently complex, and even finely-tuned changes can have unintended, chilling effects on protected First Amendment activity. But the campaign finance provisions of H.R. 1 are not finely-tuned," the letter reads. They also point out, "If H.R. 1 becomes law, organizations should not expect the FEC to adopt a narrow view of what constitutes regulated speech under the legislation's vague and overly broad new definition of PASO communications… H.R. 1 also fundamentally transforms the FEC from a non-partisan agency (comprised of three commissioners from each party) into an overtly partisan enforcement tool controlled by a majority of commissioners from the political party then in power."

"This letter expresses serious concerns that my colleagues across the aisle have failed to correct in their priority legislation, H.R. 1. The Democratic majority has rushed this process without doing their due diligence to work across the aisle in creating strong and effective bipartisan election reform. I hope letters like this one will help demonstrate the many reasons H.R. 1 should not be enacted," said Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-IL).

You can read the full letter HERE.

For more information on H.R. 1, visit our website HERE.