Inaugural awards honor bipartisan champions of election security and political reform.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK)
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
On Wednesday, Issue One honored two Republican and two Democratic members of Congress in the House and Senate with its inaugural Teddy Roosevelt Courage Awards in recognition of their fight to fix our broken political system and secure our elections.
“Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) have consistently reached across the aisle and championed political reform when Washington is at its most divided. They are working to rebuild public trust in our great experiment of self-government at a time when it is cratering,” said Issue One CEO Nick Penniman. “Every day, Americans yearn for leadership and evidence that their concerns about our broken political system are being heard. These four leaders are listening and working in a bipartisan fashion to protect our elections, fix our politics, and modernize Congress. Issue One is proud to work with them to strengthen our democracy as they carry on the tenacious spirit of the 26th president.”
The Teddy Roosevelt Courage Awards are given in the spirit of the 26th president of the United States who was a staunch defender of good, ethical government and the U.S. political system. Issue One is the leading crosspartisan political reform organization in Washington, uniting Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix our broken political system.
Issue One ReFormers Caucus Co-chairs Tim Roemer (D-IN) and Zach Wamp (R-TN) — surrounded by more than a dozen of their ReFormer colleagues — presented the awards to each member:
Former Rep. Zach Wamp’s (R-TN) remarks upon giving the Teddy Roosevelt Courage Award to Sen. James Lankford (R-OK): “Congressman Lankford is the conscience of the Senate today who decided putting country above party and protecting our elections is bigger than just one political party.”
Former Rep. Zach Wamp’s (R-TN) remarks upon giving the Teddy Roosevelt Courage Award to Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI): “Congressman Gallagher is a courageous young Republican who has been fighting since his first days on the campaign trail to fix the broken political system and restore confidence in our government.”
Former Amb. Tim Roemer’s (D-IN) remarks upon giving the Teddy Roosevelt Courage Award to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): “Senator Amy Klobuchar has been fighting to fix our political system her entire career, whether it is to shine a light on dark money or stop foreign intrusion into our politics with the Honest Ads Act.”
Former Amb. Tim Roemer’s (D-IN) remarks upon giving the Teddy Roosevelt Courage Award to Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA): “Nothing could be more important to the American people than the work that Chairman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Vice Chair Tom Graves (R-GA) are doing with the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.”
Other ReFormers Caucus members in attendance at the awards included former Amb. Connie Morella (R-MD), former Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA). former Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), former Rep. Dennis Hertel (D-MI), former Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), former Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), former Rep. Mike Kopetski (D-OR), former Rep. Martin Lancaster (D-NC), former Rep. Marjorie Margolies (D-PA), former Rep. Tom McMillen (D-MD), former Rep. Glenn Nye (D-VA), former Rep. Claudine Schneider (R-RI), former Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT), former Rep. Jim Slattery (D-KS), former Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE).
