[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 752 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 752
To develop voluntary consensus standards to ensure the accuracy and
validation of the voting process, to direct the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology to study voter
participation and emerging voting technology, to provide grants to
States to improve voting methods, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2001
Mr. King introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on House
Administration, and the Judiciary, 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 develop voluntary consensus standards to ensure the accuracy and
validation of the voting process, to direct the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology to study voter
participation and emerging voting technology, to provide grants to
States to improve voting methods, and for other purposes.
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 ``American Voting Standards and
Technology Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VOTING SYSTEMS STANDARDS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 2(c) of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (21), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (22) as paragraph (23); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (21) the following:
``(22) study automated voting systems used in the United
States, including voter registration, vote casting, and vote
counting; and''.
(b) Developing Voting Systems Standards.--The National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 32. VOTING SYSTEMS STANDARDS.
``(a) The Secretary, through the Director, shall--
``(1) have the mission of developing standard practices,
codes, specifications, and voluntary consensus standards needed
to assure the accuracy, integrity, and security of voting
systems used in the United States, including voter
registration, vote casting, and vote counting; and
``(2) establish a program with the National Voluntary
Laboratory Accreditation Program to accredit laboratories, in
accordance with regulations for procedures under such program,
to test vote casting and counting devices for conformance with
standard practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary
consensus standards developed under paragraph (1).
``(b) For purposes of subsection (a), the term `voting systems'
shall include--
``(1) every stage of the voting procedure beginning with
voter registration through any necessary recount of votes; and
``(2) systems used in connection with an election for the
office of President, Vice President, or a member of Congress.
``(c) For purposes of subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized
to cooperate with other departments and agencies of the Federal
Government, industry organizations, State and local governments, and
private organizations.''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 such sums as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
SEC. 3. STUDY OF VOTING ISSUES.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall conduct a study of--
(1) the impact of income of a voter on effective
participation in the election process;
(2) the impact of minority status of a voter based on race,
gender, or ethnicity on effective participation in the election
process;
(3) the effect of the use of differing voting apparatus and
of substandard or malfunctioning voting machinery on effective
participation in, and the integrity of, the election process;
and
(4) any future and emerging technologies for use in
elections, such as Internet voting.
(b) Study of Income.--The study conducted under subsection (a)(1)
shall include the study of the impact of various factors on
participation in elections by low-income voters, including voter
registration requirements, educational status, type of voting apparatus
available, voting outreach efforts, and any other factors the Director
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology deems relevant.
(c) Coordination.--In conducting studies under this section, the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall
cooperate and coordinate with appropriate Federal, State, and local
officials, including election officials and other interested groups and
individuals.
(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall report the results of the study conducted under this
section to Congress.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the studies and
report under this section.
SEC. 4. VOTING IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.
(a) Matching Grant To Improve Voting Methods.--
(1) Authority.--The Secretary of Commerce (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary'') is authorized to make
matching grants to the State agency responsible for
administering elections in a State or the appropriate local
agency responsible for administering elections in a unit of
local government for the purpose of purchasing new or
rehabilitated voting equipment that improves the ability of the
public to cast a timely and accurate vote.
(2) Voting equipment.--Voting equipment purchased with the
proceeds of a grant under paragraph (1) shall meet the voting
systems performance standards developed by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology under section 32 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (as added by
section 2(b)).
(3) Application.--The Secretary shall publish a notice in
the Federal Register to notify State and local agencies
regarding the time and manner in which such State or local
agency may apply and to prescribe criteria for approval of a
State or local agency application.
(4) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection,
the Secretary shall give priority to applications which propose
to use the funds to place voting equipment in election
precincts that are most in need of updating and improvement of
their voting system in order to meet voting system performance
standards described in paragraph (2), particularly in areas
experiencing the greatest need based on unemployment level,
income levels, financial need, or other indicators of economic
distress.
(5) Matching requirement.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may not make a grant
to a State or local agency under this subsection unless
that agency agrees that, with respect to the costs to
be incurred by the agency in carrying out the purpose
for which the grant was awarded, the agency will make
available non-Federal contributions in an amount equal
to 50 percent of the Federal funds provided under the
grant.
(B) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the
requirement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary
determines a State or local agency displays extreme
need.
(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out
the purposes of this subsection, including grant funds and
administration costs.
(b) Block Grant for Voter Education Campaigns.--
(1) Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants
to the State agency responsible for administering elections in
a State for the purpose of implementing voter education
campaigns.
(2) Implementation.--Each State agency receiving funds
under paragraph (1) shall make such funds available to the
appropriate State and local election officials to carry out
voter education campaigns.
(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to make grants
under this subsection.
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