Dear Senator Manchin,

As small business leaders in West Virginia, we write to you today about the urgent need to pass the For the People Act (S.1).  The For the People Act (S.1) includes reforms to crack down on the corruption and self-dealing in government, reduce the influence of wealthy special interests, and restore fairness to our democracy.

Small businesses make up a big part of our economy, but they don’t have big voices in Washington.  When COVID hit, we were encouraged to see Congress take up response legislation like the Paycheck Protection Program - until we realized that it was drafted in a way that put the most connected businesses at the front of the line and left many of us out to dry.  While the program improved, if businesses like ours had the ears of our leaders, we could have gotten it right from the start.

That is why we need the For the People Act - because for too long, Congress has listened to the biggest, loudest, and wealthiest voices while the regular individuals and small businesses that make up the backbone of this country are too often drowned out.  We need a government responsive to all of us, and a system where the success or failure of your business doesn’t hinge on if you can hire a connected lobbying firm or make a huge donation.

As small business owners, we are deeply invested in not just our businesses, but our communities. But helping a community to thrive is difficult when the playing field is uneven.  When we are left out of the conversation - whether it be the policy discussions in Washington or having our voices ignored in our elections - the community suffers and so do small businesses.

The For the People Act helps to level that playing field.  It makes sure that elections are fair and honest and that everyone can have their say. It cracks down on huge, anonymous donations intended to curry favor with the Washington elite and puts regular West Virginians and regular Americans back in charge.  And by creating a fair, responsive, and transparent democracy, we believe the legislation will help to curb the animosity that seems to just grow more and more each day.  That’s good for our communities and good for business.

We strongly urge you to listen to the strong support for this bill from West Virginia small businesses and vote YES in support of the For The People Act.

Sincerely,