Included in the $1.7 trillion government spending bill passed by the House on Friday is a rewrite of the 1887 Electoral Count Act.

Background: Moderate senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) crafted the bill with the intention of clarifying the process of certifying the results of a presidential election.

What Changes?: According to the Congressional webpage, the bill “revises the process of casting and counting electoral votes for presidential elections.” The bill makes the role of the Vice President in the certification process “ministerial in nature” and “raises the objection threshold” needed to object to election results to one-fifth of Congress.

Why?: The bill was crafted in response to the events of January 6, 2021, when the process of certifying the 2020 presidential election results was disrupted by protestors in support of Donald Trump, who lost the election. During the certification process, Trump pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the results of the election, pointing to the Electoral Count Act’s vague language as evidence of this authority existing. 

Perspectives: The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said the bill “isn’t perfect but at least fixes the law’s most troubling flaws.” An article in the National Review (Right Bias) questioned why the bill did not receive a stand-alone vote, determining that “it would have passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.” An article in the New Republic (Left Bias) called the bill “crucial for preventing another attack like January 6 from happening.”