PPC Federal Affairs' Take on Gerrymandering
November 2019
Last month, the Federal Affairs team traveled to Washington, DC to present its work on gerrymandering to lawmakers and aides. In response to the Supreme Court decision in Rucho v. Common Cause, which mandated that Congress is the only federal power with the constitutional authority to regulate redistricting, the team spent the semester researching and developing bipartisan solutions to gerrymandering. With the upcoming 2020 Census and subsequent redistricting, the Federal team developed a policy memo, brief factsheet, and presentation that were delivered during meetings on the Hill.
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During conversations with leaders and legislative staffers from the offices of Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), Senator Joe Manchin III (D-WV), Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-8), and the Senate Judiciary Committee, the team stressed the importance and urgency of congressional intervention and promoted bi-partisan House Resolution 36.
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The Federal Affairs committee was also fortunate to meet with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). In addition to gerrymandering, the Senator generously discussed his political career, advice he had for students interested in politics, and other issues facing Pennsylvania, the youth, and the country as a whole.