WASHINGTON - Several members of the Massachusetts' Congressional delegation have weighed in on the proposed revisions to the Electoral count Act of 1887. Congressman Jim McGovern, who is among Massachusetts' all Democratic delegation in Congress, called the proposed changes a "good start".

McGovern is the Chair of the House Rules Committee, but the bipartisan legislation seeking to establish clear guidelines for certifying and counting the electoral votes for President and Vice President will go before the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday. The flaws in the 1887 law have been in the spotlight during the hearings held by the House January 6th Committee on the riot at the U.S. Capitol, hearings that will continue this fall. 

There is now bipartisan agreement that the 1887 law is poorly written and vague. In fact, 16 senators found enough common ground on the need to change the law that they came to an agreement.

One of the changes would remove any questions about the Vice President’s role in counting the electoral votes. This comes after former President Donald Trump told supports just before the January 6 riot that then Vice President Mike Pence had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 

“First it reasserts that the constitutional role of the vice president in counting electoral votes is strictly and solely Ministerial," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) during a speech on the legislation on July 20. "The idea any vice president would have the power to unilaterally accept or reject or change the electoral goals is antithetical to our Constitution." 

According to a statement from Sen. Collins, she and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) worked on the legislation with Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Warner (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). 

While Massachusetts' two Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey were not part of the negotiations on the legislation, that doesn't mean support isn't there. 

“We need to amend the Electoral Count Act to prevent Donald Trump or anyone else from trying to subvert and steal a presidential election," said Markey said in an exclusive statement to Spectrum News. "I’m looking forward to reviewing the legislation coming out of the Rules committee." 

Even with bipartisan support, there are questions on whether the Electoral Count Reform Act will have the 10 Republican votes needed to pass in the Senate. Nine Republicans were part of the negotiations that led to the legislation being discussed on Wednesday.