“We the people,” the often-repeated words that begin our nation’s constitution, remain both foundational and aspirational The Bill of Rights, those fundamental initial amendments define and protect rights and suggest that as circumstances and human experience and insight changes, our laws and policies also develop. Our very existence as a nation demands that we the people continually labor to become a people, firm in diversity and unity.

The past election cycle demands a reconsideration of our voting process. The For the People Act — H.R. 1 in the House and S. 1 in the Senate attempts to address these issues. The multifaceted act includes restoration of the voting rights act, establishing nationwide early voting, implementing same-day and online registration, preventing flawed purges of voting rosters and establishing safeguards against deceptive practices.

We the people are a people by geography and constitution and, before that, by the fundamental unity we share as God’s children. Our squabbles against the validity of some votes and voters demonstrate the need to review they system and our need to reconcile with one another. May Mary, mother of us all, help us end our sibling rivalry.