[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 920 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 920
To establish the Federal Elections Review Commission to study the
nature and consequences of the Federal electoral process and make
recommendations to ensure the integrity of, and public confidence in,
Federal elections.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 7, 2001
Mr. Lampson (for himself, Mr. Farr of California, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr.
Duncan, Mr. Turner, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Frost, and Mrs. Morella)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
House Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Federal Elections Review Commission to study the
nature and consequences of the Federal electoral process and make
recommendations to ensure the integrity of, and public confidence in,
Federal elections.
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 ``21st Century Election Rules and
Technology Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION; MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Federal Elections
Review Commission (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
``Commission'').
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Commission shall be to study the
nature and consequences of the Federal electoral process and make
recommendations to ensure the integrity of, and public confidence in,
Federal elections.
(c) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 12 members,
who shall be appointed as follows:
(1) Three members shall be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate based on recommendations by the majority
leader of the Senate.
(2) Three members shall be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate based on recommendations of the minority
leader of the Senate.
(3) Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
(4) Three members shall be appointed by the minority leader
of the House of Representatives.
(d) Qualifications of Members.--Members shall be appointed to the
Commission from among individuals who--
(1) have expertise in Federal election laws, election and
information technology, the United States Constitution, and the
history of the United States, or other pertinent qualifications
or experience; and
(2) are not officers or employees of the United States.
(e) Other Considerations.--In appointing members of the Commission,
every effort shall be made to ensure that the members--
(1) represent a broad cross section of regional and
political perspectives in the United States; and
(2) are individuals who will provide fresh insights to
analyzing the Federal electoral process in order to maintain
the integrity and accuracy of, and public confidence in, such
process.
(f) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--(1) Members of the
Commission shall be appointed not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act. Appointments shall be for the life of the
Commission.
(2) Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the powers of
the Commission, and shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.
(g) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on
which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission
shall hold its first meeting.
(h) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The members of the
Commission shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among
the members of the Commission.
(i) Additional Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of
the chairperson.
(j) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(k) Voting.--A vote of a member of the Commission with respect to
the duties of the Commission shall have the same weight as the vote of
any other member of the Commission.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) In General.--The Commission shall examine and report on the
nature and consequences of the Federal electoral process, and shall
include in its report recommendations to ensure the integrity of, and
public confidence in, Federal elections.
(b) Specific Issues To Be Addressed.--In conducting its examination
and preparing its report under this Act, the Commission shall address
(at a minimum) the following issues:
(1) The current election technology used by States and
local governments across the Nation, the current best practices
of election technology, and the need for research and
development regarding new election technologies.
(2) The need for new practices and technologies to aid
voters with disabilities.
(3) Voter registration issues, including same-day
registration, universal registration, the impact of the voter
registration requirements of the National Voter Registration
Act of 1993 (commonly known as the ``Motor Voter Act''), and
the accuracy of voter registration rolls.
(4) Ballot access issues, including the role of mail-in
balloting in Federal elections, the distinction between mail-in
and absentee balloting, the uniformity or lack of uniformity in
the deadlines established for the receipt of such ballots, and
the possibility of fraud associated with the use of such
ballots.
(5) The financial, training, and resource needs of State
and local election agencies.
(6) The feasibility and advisability of voting through the
Internet.
(7) The impact of polling place closing times (including an
analysis of the feasibility and advisability of establishing a
uniform national poll closing time for Presidential elections),
the number and accessibility of polling places, and training of poll
workers.
(8) The impact of the physical ballot design, including the
technology used to cast and count votes and the uniformity of
such technology and a consideration of a uniform design
standard, and the impact of the language used on ballots,
including the need for simplicity of language and the
feasibility and advisability of using foreign language.
(9) The adequacy of the options available to voters and
candidates to seek redress for electoral irregularities.
SEC. 4. FINAL REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the
initial meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall submit to the
President, the Federal Election Commission, and the Congress a final
report including--
(1) the findings and conclusions of the Commission; and
(2) recommendations of the Commission for addressing the
problems identified by its analysis.
(b) Separate Views.--Any member of the Commission may submit
additional findings and recommendations as part of the final report.
SEC. 5. POWERS.
(a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such
evidence as the Commission may find advisable to fulfill the
requirements of this Act. The Commission shall hold at least one
hearing in the District of Columbia, and at least four hearings in
other regions of the United States.
(b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Commission may secure
directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the
Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Upon request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of such
department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
(c) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other
departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
SEC. 6. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) Compensation.--Each member of the Commission shall be
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate
of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under
section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including
travel time) during which the member is engaged in the performance of
the duties of the Commission.
(b) Staff.--(1) The chairperson of the Commission may appoint staff
of the Commission, request the detail of Federal employees, and accept
temporary and intermittent services in accordance with section 3161 of
title 5, United States Code.
(2) The employment of an executive director of the Commission shall
be subject to the approval of the Commission.
(3) The rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel
of the Commission may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
SEC. 7. SUPPORT SERVICES.
The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the
Commission on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services
as the Commission may request.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate not later than the date that is 30
days after the date the Commission submits its final report under
section 4.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for the
Commission to carry out this Act.
<all>