WASHINGTON -- Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) led over 50 members of Congress in supporting an amicus brief filed today to the U.S. District Court, Northern District Court of Georgia in the upcoming case United States v. Georgia. The brief urges the court to uphold Georgia’s election integrity bill (SB 202), citing the state’s constitutional authority to enact updates to its election laws regarding the times, places, and manner of conducting elections.
"The Constitution grants states – not the Executive Branch or federal courts – broad discretion to prevent potential voter fraud and voter intimidation, including implementing voter ID,” said Congressman Allen. “The Biden Administration’s lawsuit against Georgia is just the latest example of an ongoing effort to federalize elections, and is the same attempt that is being waged legislatively with Congressional Democrats’ For the People Act. We must reject these efforts and stand with the Constitution to defend states’ authority to conduct and administer elections.”
Other supporters of the brief include U.S. Representatives: Buddy Carter, Andrew S. Clyde, Drew Ferguson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, Austin Scott, Robert B. Aderholt, Jodey C. Arrington, Brian Babin, Jim Banks, Andy Barr, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, Ted Budd, Ken Calvert, Madison Cawthorn, Rodney Davis, Jeff Duncan, Neal Dunn, Ron Estes, Virginia Foxx, Bob Gibbs, Louie Gohmert, Bob Good, Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S., Glenn Grothman, Diana Harshbarger, Vicky Hartzler, Richard Hudson, Ronny L. Jackson, Mike Johnson, Doug Lamborn, Nancy Mace, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D., Alex X. Mooney, Ralph Norman, Scott Perry, August Pfluger, Bill Posey, Tom Rice, John Rose, David Rouzer, Chip Roy, Steve Scalise, Pete Sessions, Adrian Smith, Jason Smith, Elise Stefanik, W. Gregory Steube, Claudia Tenney, William Timmons, Tim Walberg, Randy Weber, and Joe Wilson
Background:
On June 25, 2021, the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced they were filing a federal lawsuit against the state of Georgia’s election integrity bill, which was signed into law on March 25, 2021.
The lawsuit outlined numerous provisions that the DOJ is challenging; including, the prohibition on government entities mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications, modifications of the identification requirements and timeframes for applying for absentee ballots, regulations of the use of absentee ballot drop boxes, and restricting the distribution of food and water to voters close to a polling place. However, as the brief highlights, the Constitution grants states the authority to make these changes.
Full text of the brief is available here.
