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Democracy Initiative
Move to Amend

United States Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG)


Mission: To “stand up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society.”

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) is a federation of independent, state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate in the public interest. Active in 47 states, the group has a federal lobby office in Washington, D.C. and employs roughly 400 organizers, policy analysts, scientists, and attorneys. 

Year Founded: 1971 • (617) 747-4370 • uspirg.org

 

Current Democracy Work

While the organization addresses many concerns, its Democracy for the People campaign seeks to overturn the Citizens United decision and build support at the federal level for the Government by the People Act. This act would greatly reduce the power of big money in our political system by creating matching grants for campaign contributions that effectively multiply the powers of small donors and providing federal tax credits and vouchers so more people can contribute to political campaigns. U.S. PIRG also works state-by-state and city-by-city to win real reforms that amplify everyone’s voices in our elections through small-donor matched programs.

 

Recent Successes

In collaboration with a broad coalition of organizations, U.S. PIRG helped mobilize voters in Seattle and Maine to support the victorious clean elections ballot measures in November 2015. In Montgomery County, MD, in 2014, Maryland PIRG helped to enact a small donor empowerment program modeled after the Government by the People Act. In 2012, the national organization helped gather over 100,000 signatures in Colorado to get Amendment 65 on the ballot—a resolution to put the state on record calling to overturn Citizens United. It passed with over 70 percent of the vote and won in every county in this purple state, demonstrating broad, bipartisan support.

 

Your Entry Points

Use the U.S. PIRG website to tell your representative that you support the Government by the People and Fair Elections Now Acts. Explore its resources and reports online to learn more about solutions to money in politics and much more. The many state-based PIRG organizations are famous for their canvassing and organizing opportunities as well, so be sure to investigate entry points with your state chapter or apply for the U.S. PIRG fellowship program.


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