[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2687 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2687

To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to 
  vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an 
  election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has 
been convicted of a Federal crime, and to amend title 5, United States 
Code, to establish election day as a legal public holiday by moving the 
  legal public holiday known as Veterans Day to election day in such 
                                 years.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2001

 Mr. Hilliard introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
    Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit States from denying any individual the right to register to 
  vote for an election for Federal office, or the right to vote in an 
  election for Federal office, on the grounds that the individual has 
been convicted of a Federal crime, and to amend title 5, United States 
Code, to establish election day as a legal public holiday by moving the 
  legal public holiday known as Veterans Day to election day in such 
                                 years.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Registration Protection Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING DENIAL OF RIGHT TO VOTE IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS ON 
              BASIS OF CONVICTION OF FEDERAL CRIME.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
State may prohibit any individual from registering to vote for an 
election for Federal office, or from voting in an election for Federal 
office, on the grounds that the individual has been convicted of a 
Federal crime (except as provided in subsection (b)).
    (b) Exception for Individuals Remaining in Government Custody or 
Supervision.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any 
individual who is in the custody of, or subject to supervision by, the 
State or the Federal government as a result of the individual's 
conviction of a Federal crime at the time the individual seeks to 
register to vote or vote.
    (c) Definitions.--
            (1) Federal crime.--In this section, the term ``Federal 
        crime'' means--
                    (A) any offense under title 18, United States Code; 
                or
                    (B) any offense under chapter 47 of title 10, 
                United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military 
                Justice).
            (2) Other definitions.--In this section, the terms 
        ``election'' and ``Federal office'' have the meaning given such 
        terms in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
        1971 (2 U.S.C. 431).
    (d) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring after December 31, 2000.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF ELECTION DAY IN FEDERAL ELECTION YEARS AS A 
              LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

    Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``the Tuesday next after the first Monday 
        in November in 2002 and each second year thereafter, and'' 
        after ``Veterans Day,''; and
            (2) by inserting ``in any other year'' after ``November 
        11''.
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