[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5274 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5274


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 6, 2018

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To promote international exchanges on best election practices, 
cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world, 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 ``Global Electoral Exchange Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) recent elections globally have illustrated the urgent 
        need for the promotion and exchange of international best 
        election practices, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity, 
        results transmission, transparency of electoral data, election 
        dispute resolution, and the elimination of discriminatory 
        registration practices and other electoral irregularities;
            (2) the advancement of democracy worldwide promotes 
        American interests, as stable democracies provide new market 
        opportunities, improve global health outcomes, and promote 
        economic freedom and regional security;
            (3) credible elections are the cornerstone of a healthy 
        democracy and enable all persons to exercise their basic human 
        right to have a say in how they are governed;
            (4) inclusive elections strengthen the credibility and 
        stability of democracies more broadly, as democratic 
        institutions flourish when representative of all groups of 
        society;
            (5) at the heart of a strong election cycle is the 
        professionalism of the election management body and an 
        empowered civil society; and
            (6) the development of local expertise via peer-to-peer 
        learning and exchanges promotes the independence of such bodies 
        from internal and external influence.

SEC. 3. GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE.

    (a) Global Electoral Exchange.--The Secretary of State is 
authorized to establish and administer a Global Electoral Exchange 
Program to promote the utilization of sound election administration 
practices around the world.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Global Electoral Exchange Program 
described in subsection (a) shall include the promotion and exchange of 
international best election practices, including in the areas of--
            (1) cybersecurity;
            (2) results transmission;
            (3) transparency of electoral data;
            (4) election dispute resolution;
            (5) the elimination of discriminatory registration 
        practices and electoral irregularities;
            (6) equitable access to polling places, voter education 
        information, and voting mechanisms (including by persons with 
        disabilities); and
            (7) other sound election administration practices.
    (c) Exchange of Electoral Authorities.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State may, in 
        consultation, as appropriate, with the United States Agency for 
        International Development, make grants to any United States-
        based organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 
        501(a) of such Code with experience in comparative election 
        systems or subject matter expertise in the areas of election 
        administration or electoral integrity that submits an 
        application in such form, and satisfying such requirements, as 
        the Secretary may require.
            (2) Types of grants.--An organization described in 
        paragraph (1) may receive a grant for one or more of the 
        following purposes:
                    (A) To design and implement programs bringing 
                election administrators and officials, including 
                government officials, poll workers, civil society 
                representatives, members of the judiciary, and others 
                who participate in the organization and administration 
                of public elections in a foreign country to the United 
                States to study election procedures in the United 
                States for educational purposes.
                    (B) To design and implement programs taking United 
                States or another country's election administrators and 
                officials, including government officials, poll 
                workers, civil society representatives, members of the 
                judiciary, and others who participate in the 
                organization and administration of public elections to 
                study election procedures for educational purposes.
            (3) Limits on activities.--Activities administered under 
        the Global Electoral Exchange Program may not--
                    (A) include observation of an election for the 
                purposes of assessing the validity or legitimacy of 
                that election; or
                    (B) facilitate any advocacy for a certain electoral 
                result by a grantee when participating in the Program.
            (4) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
        the Secretary of State should establish and maintain a network 
        of Global Electoral Exchange Program alumni, to promote 
        communication and further exchange of information regarding 
        sound election administration practices among current and 
        former program participants.
            (5) Further limits.--A recipient of a grant under the 
        Global Electoral Exchange Program may use such grant for only 
        the purpose for which such grant was awarded, unless otherwise 
        authorized by the Secretary of State.
            (6) Not duplicative.--Grants made under this subsection may 
        not be duplicative of any other grants made under any other 
        provision of law for similar or related purposes.

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and in each of the following 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of State 
shall provide to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a 
briefing on the status of any activities carried out pursuant to this 
Act during the preceding year, which shall include, among other 
information, the following:
            (1) A summary of all exchanges conducted under the Global 
        Electoral Exchange Program, including information regarding 
        grantees, participants, and the locations where program 
        activities were held.
            (2) A description of the criteria used to select grantees 
        under the Global Electoral Exchange Program.
            (3) Any recommendations for the improvement of the Global 
        Electoral Exchange Program, based on the purpose specified in 
        section 3(b).

SEC. 5. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
the requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out 
using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 5, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.