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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) today introduced a bill aimed at curbing voter suppression.
The politicians are proposing a nationwide adoption of Oregon's vote-by-mail system, which they say will help democratize elections processes.
The Vote-By-Mail Act would require passage by a Republican-controlled Senate and President Trump to become reality. On the eve of a 13-day government shutdown over funding of a U.S., Mexico border wall, that's an unlikely scenario.
Wyden, a vocal critic of the Trump administration, said in a statement, "This administration and special interests want to make voting harder so they can advance an anti-democratic agenda that rewards the powerful and hurts regular Americans."
Reports of long lines at polling places, locked polling places or polling place location changes and malfunctioning machines dominated headlines two months ago.
"Last November, once again, voters across the nation faced unacceptable barriers just to have their ballots counted," Wyden said.
The bill—included as part of a package called House Resolution 1—would also build upon Oregon's automatic voter registration program and require states to register to vote any resident who provides information to the local motor vehicle authority.
"Our first priority should be to ensure our democracy is available to everyone, which is why this is my first bill of the new Congress," Rep. Blumenauer said. "I am proud that the success of the Oregon model is now being recognized federally by paving the way for all Americans to vote by mail."