Padilla Elected to Serve as Top Democrat of Senate Rules and Administration Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after he was elected to serve as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration:
“I am honored to serve as Ranking Member of the Rules and Administration Committee. As California’s former Secretary of State, I recognize the importance of protecting and defending free and fair elections. And whether it’s in the Capitol, the Library of Congress, or the Smithsonian museums, I will work to ensure that our government institutions serve the American people more effectively, efficiently, and equitably. I’m ready for the important work ahead, and I look forward to working with Chairman McConnell and my colleagues on the committee.”
As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senator Padilla is focused on strengthening our democracy and ensuring that every eligible citizen is able to freely, fairly, and fully participate in our elections. He will also conduct oversight over Capitol operations.
Senator Padilla believes that our democracy is strongest when every eligible American participates, and he has spent his career fighting to expand and preserve voting rights. While serving as California’s Secretary of State, Padilla implemented automatic and same-day voter registration, expanded vote-by-mail, and launched early vote centers. These key reforms led to record voter registration and participation in California and have become a model for the rest of the nation. In the U.S. Senate, Padilla is a champion for stronger voting rights, bipartisan election administration reforms, and increased funding to modernize and secure our elections.
Senator Padilla recently introduced legislation to address the significant impact that election administration-related disinformation, made more pervasive with the use of Artificial Intelligence, has on communities of color. He is a staunch supporter of the Freedom to Vote Act, legislation he and Senate Democrats introduced to improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense federal election standards and campaign finance reforms, and protect our democracy. Padilla also introduced the Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act to expand protections against election interference during the ballot counting and certification processes, and the Support our Election Workers Act to help recruit and retain election workers and keep them safe from threats and harassment. Additionally, Padilla introduced the bicameral Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act to protect voters and election workers from intimidation and threats of violence at the ballot box.
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