WASHINGTON (WSVN) — A United States lawmaker has proposed lowering the federal voting age from 18 to 16.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley made the proposal as her first amendment since being voted into office.
Pressley said the younger generation is taking the lead on key issues ranging from gun violence to climate change.
Under her proposal, people as young as 16 would be able to register to vote and elect members of Congress and the president.
“My amendment to H.R. 1, the For The People Act, will strengthen the promise of our nation’s democracy,” she said in a press release. “I believe that those who will inherit the nation we design here in Congress by virtue of our policies and authority should have a say in who represents them.”
If passed, the amendment would go into effect in 2020.
To read the full amendment text, click here.
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