Comment A bipartisan group of 16 senators released legislation Wednesday that would clarify an 1887 law that then-President Donald Trump and his allies tried to use as part of their bid to overturn the 2020 election results. The legislation, which comes after months of negotiations, will seek to more clearly define the role of states, presidential electors and the vice president in presidential elections in an effort to prevent the events of January 6, 2021 in the future. While senators said the work of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill did not affect their work or affect the timeline, the legislation was released as the committee presented evidence showing how Trump and his allies sought to exploit the vagueness of the 19th century law, the Act on the Counting of Elections; Trump pushed Vice President Pence to throw out votes for Joe Biden from some states by recognizing unofficial voter lists for Trump, but Pence disputed the idea that he had the legal authority to do so and worked to certify Biden as the winner of the elections. All the ways Trump tried to swing the election — and how it could happen again The proposal, led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Manchin III (DW. V.) also makes it more difficult for Congress to challenge state results in presidential elections. The 19th-century law allows a member of the House and a senator to file an objection. The proposal raises the objection threshold to one-fifth of the House and Senate. It also clarifies how a presidential candidate can raise concerns about a state election by creating a three-judge panel with a fast track to the Supreme Court, an issue senators have struggled to agree on. In a separate bill, senators are trying to clarify the presidential transition and prevent violence against poll workers by doubling the fines for people who intimidate or threaten election officials. It also tries to clarify how the Postal Service handles election mail. To the dismay of many on the left, senators did not delve into issues such as voter access, an issue that has become partisan. “We have developed legislation that establishes clear guidelines for the system of certifying and counting electoral votes for the President and Vice President,” the bipartisan group of senators said in a statement. “We urge our colleagues in both parties to support these simple, common reforms.” The proposal would specify that a state could appoint only one set of presidential electors, and only the governor — or an official designated in the constitution or state laws — could submit the electors to Congress. Senators are preparing to unveil changes to the Election Counting Act After the 2020 election, groups of rogue voters who supported Trump in some states tried to submit their vote to Congress to be counted instead of the legitimate voters Biden won. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (DN.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) gave bipartisan negotiators a long leash — a sign the legislation is likely to gather support leaders of both parties. Collins said she has been in touch with Schumer and McConnell about the bill. In addition to Collins and Manchin, members of the negotiating team include Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Thom Tillis (RN.C.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Shelley Moore Capito (RW.Va.), Ben Cardin (D – Md.), Todd C. Young (R-Ind.), Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.), Lindsey O. Graham (RS. C) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).
