Kilmer Receives National Recognition for Efforts to Protect & Strengthen Democracy

Office of Rep. Derek Kilmer announcement.

U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) has been recognized with a perfect score on Common Cause’s 2022 Democracy Scorecard – a nonpartisan accounting of actions of all Members of Congress on a range of democracy-related legislation, including campaign finance reform, the protection and expansion of voting rights, and putting an end to partisan gerrymandering.

“There’s too much money, too many special interests, and too little accountability in our government. Americans deserve to have their voices heard and votes counted. That’s why – since day one as our region’s representative – I’ve been working to reduce the role of money in politics, combat voter suppression, fix the broken political system, and get Congress back on track and back to getting things done,” said Rep. Kilmer. “Our government should work for the American people. That’s why it’s important for Congress to root out corruption, strengthen our systems of checks and balances, and protect the right to vote. I’ll keep pushing to get pro-democracy legislation signed into law and to make government work better for folks.”

“Nearly two years after the January 6^th insurrection and at a time when some power-hungry state legislatures have made it significantly harder for certain Americans to vote, we need more leaders like Congressman Kilmer to stand up for the rule of law and for the freedom to vote,” said Aaron Scherb, Senior Director of Legislative Affairs at Common Cause. “Our Democracy Scorecard can serve as a resource to help citizens understand which members of Congress are protecting our voices and who is trying to make it harder to vote; we commend Congressman Kilmer for getting a perfect score on the 2022 Democracy Scorecard.”

In Congress, Rep. Kilmer has been recognized as a leader on campaign finance reform and continues to push for legislation that would improve transparency, reduce the role of big money in campaigns, and fix the commission charged with enforcing federal election laws. As the Chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, Rep. Kilmer has led the charge to make Congress more effective and efficient – passing over 170 bipartisan recommendations that aim to make the federal government work better for the American people.

Rep. Kilmer co-sponsored and voted to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2022, a sweeping package of reform bills aimed at strengthening the voice of the American people in their democracy by making it easier to vote, reducing the role of big money in the political process, and ensuring public officials work for the public interest. This comprehensive reform package includes two bipartisan bills led by Representative Kilmer, the Honest Ads Act and the Resorting Integrity to America’s Election Act, which aim to increase transparency in our campaign finance and election laws.

This Congress, Common Cause recognized Kilmer for holding a pro-democracy stance on 14 bills that were voted on by the House – including H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act – legislation he helped introduce that aims to strengthen America’s democratic institutions against future presidents, regardless of political party, who seek to abuse the power of their office. He also sponsored H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act – a package of reform bills aimed at strengthening the voice of the American people in their democracy. In addition, he was recognized for co-sponsoring 4 pieces of pro-democracy legislation – including H.R. 5008, the Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act – which aims to protect the sacred right to vote and ensure equal access to the electoral process for Native Americans.

Kilmer has been recognized previously for his efforts to fight to fix the broken political system and secure American elections. This year, he received an “A” rating on the 2022 legislative scorecard by End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund – which tracks Members’ support for legislation to reduce the role of big money and special interests in politics, restore ethics in Washington, and protect and expand the right to vote. In 2019, Kilmer received the inaugural “Teddy Roosevelt Courage Award” by Issue One, a leading cross-partisan political reform organization. The Award was given in the spirit of the 26th President of the United States, who was a staunch defender of good, ethical government and the U.S. political system.

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, national grassroots organization of more than 1 million members and supporters dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. The annual Democracy Scorecard aims to offer a factual, nonpartisan record of actions by each member of Congress on a variety of democracy-related legislation.