[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2145 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2145
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of
the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter
registration agencies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 13, 2014
Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Durbin)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of
the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter
registration agencies, 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 ``Veteran Voting Support Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Veterans have performed a great service to, and risked
the greatest sacrifice in the name of, our country, and should
be supported by the people and the Government of the United
States.
(2) Veterans are especially qualified to understand issues
of war, foreign policy, and government support for veterans,
and they should have the opportunity to voice that
understanding through voting.
(3) The Department of Veterans Affairs should assist
veterans to register to vote and to vote.
SEC. 3. VOTER REGISTRATION AND ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide a
mail voter registration application form to each veteran--
(1) who seeks to enroll in the Department of Veterans
Affairs health care system (including enrollment in a medical
center, a community living center, a community-based outpatient
center, or a domiciliary of the Department of Veterans Affairs
health care system), at the time of such enrollment; and
(2) who is enrolled in such health care system--
(A) at any time when there is a change in the
enrollment status of the veteran; and
(B) at any time when there is a change in the
address of the veteran.
(b) Providing Voter Registration Information and Assistance.--The
Secretary shall provide to each veteran described in subsection (a) the
same degree of information and assistance with voter registration as is
provided by the Department with regard to the completion of its own
forms, unless the applicant refuses such assistance.
(c) Transmittal of Voter Registration Application Forms.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept completed voter
registration application forms for transmittal to the
appropriate State election official.
(2) Transmittal deadline.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a
completed voter registration application form accepted
at a medical center, community living center,
community-based outpatient center, or domiciliary of
the Department shall be transmitted to the appropriate
State election official not later than 10 days after
the date of acceptance.
(B) Exception.--If a completed voter registration
application form is accepted within 5 days before the
last day for registration to vote in an election, the
application shall be transmitted to the appropriate
State election official not later than 5 days after the
date of acceptance.
(d) Requirements of Voter Registration Information and
Assistance.--The Secretary shall ensure that the information and
assistance with voter registration that is provided under subsection
(b) will not--
(1) seek to influence an applicant's political preference
or party registration;
(2) display any such political preference or party
allegiance;
(3) make any statement to an applicant or take any action
the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant
from registering to vote; or
(4) make any statement to an applicant or take any action
the purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to
believe that a decision to register or not register has any
bearing on the availability of services or benefits.
(e) Limitation on Use of Information.--No information relating to
registering to vote, or a declination to register to vote, under this
section may be used for any purpose other than voter registration.
(f) Enforcement.--
(1) Notice.--
(A) Notice to the facility director or the
secretary.--A person who is aggrieved by a violation of
this section or section 4 may provide written notice of
the violation to the Director of the facility of the
Department health care system involved or to the
Secretary. The Director or the Secretary shall respond
to a written notice provided under the preceding
sentence within 20 days of receipt of such written
notice.
(B) Notice to the attorney general and the election
assistance commission.--If the violation is not
corrected within 90 days after receipt of a notice
under subparagraph (A), the aggrieved person may
provide written notice of the violation to the Attorney
General and the Election Assistance Commission.
(2) Attorney general.--The Attorney General may bring a
civil action in an appropriate district court for such
declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to carry out
this section or section 4.
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
(a) In General.--Consistent with State and local laws, each
director of a community living center, a domiciliary, or a medical
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system shall
provide assistance in voting by absentee ballot to veterans residing in
the community living center or domiciliary or who are inpatients of the
medical center, as the case may be.
(b) Assistance Provided.--The assistance provided under subsection
(a) shall include--
(1) providing information relating to the opportunity to
request an absentee ballot;
(2) making available absentee ballot applications upon
request, as well as assisting in completing such applications
and ballots; and
(3) working with local election administration officials to
ensure proper transmission of absentee ballot applications and
absentee ballots.
SEC. 5. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATIONS.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit nonpartisan
organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance
at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system,
subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, including
limiting activities to regular business hours and requiring advance
notice.
SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY ELECTION OFFICIALS AT DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES.
(a) Distribution of Information.--
(1) In general.--Subject to reasonable time, place, and
manner restrictions, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
not prohibit any election administration official, whether
State or local, party-affiliated or non-party affiliated, or
elected or appointed, from providing voting information to
veterans at any facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Voting information.--In this subsection, the term
``voting information'' means nonpartisan information intended
for the public about voting, including information about voter
registration, voting systems, absentee balloting, polling
locations, and other important resources for voters.
(b) Voter Registration Services.--The Secretary shall provide
reasonable access to facilities of the Department health care system to
State and local election officials for the purpose of providing
nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals, subject to
reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, including limiting
activities to regular business hours and requiring advance notice.
SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT ON COMPLIANCE.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress an
annual report on how the Secretary has complied with the requirements
of this Act. Such report shall include the following information with
respect to the preceding year:
(1) The number of veterans who were served by facilities of
the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system.
(2) The number of such veterans who requested information
on or assistance with voter registration.
(3) The number of such veterans who received information on
or assistance with voter registration.
(4) Information with respect to written notices submitted
under section 3(f), including information with respect to the
resolution of the violations alleged in such written notices.
SEC. 8. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) No Individual Benefit.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to
convey a benefit to an individual veteran.
(b) No Effect on Other Laws.--Nothing in this Act may be construed
to authorize or require conduct prohibited under any of the following
laws, or to supersede, restrict, or limit the application of such laws:
(1) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.).
(2) The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and
Handicapped Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ee et seq.).
(3) The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.).
(4) The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C.
1973gg et seq.).
(5) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12101 et seq.).
(6) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.).
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