Democrats say the bill is for people who "feel left out and locked out from their own democracy." It addresses voting, political money, redistricting and ethics.
Amid the ongoing government shutdown, a new era of divided government kicked off in Washington as Democrats formally took control of the House of Representatives.
Nancy Pelosi once again became speaker of the House this week as Democrats took control. She made history as the first female speaker in 2007 and her sharp political skills helped her hold onto power.
The shutdown has closed much of the National Marine Fisheries Service, which oversees Bering Sea fisheries off the Alaska coast. Industry workers don't know when boats will get needed authorizations.
NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Jeremy McKinney, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, about how the government shutdown is affecting the large backlog of immigration cases.
After taking control of the House of Representatives, Democrats voted to change rules about how the chamber is run, including one lowering chances of confrontation over the nation's debt limit.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Michael Steel, who was Press Secretary for Speaker Boehner during the 2013 government shutdown, about the current government shutdown that is in its 14th day.
IT technician Alex Reed was looking forward to starting an internship at NASA's Glenn Research Center next week, but the partial government shutdown stands in the way of this dream opportunity.