[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 394 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 394

         To protect, improve, and modernize the act of voting.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 9, 2019

  Ms. Meng (for herself and Mr. Cohen) introduced the following bill; 
  which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in 
  addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 protect, improve, and modernize the act of voting.

    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 Voting Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMISSION ESTABLISHED.

    There is hereby established the ``Commission on Voting'' (referred 
to in this Act as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 3. COMMISSION DUTIES.

    (a) Proposed Legislation.--The Commission shall report to Congress 
proposed legislation that would accomplish the following:
            (1) Election Day shall be made a national holiday.
            (2) Every American shall be automatically, and permanently, 
        registered to vote at the age of 18, or upon receipt of 
        citizenship if older than 18 years of age.
            (3) Every person released from prison who formerly held the 
        right to vote shall have that right restored immediately upon 
        release.
            (4) Voter registration shall be made portable among every 
        State and locality.
            (5) Polling place and registration status shall be made 
        available to individual voters online.
            (6) Voting cybersecurity protection efforts carried out by 
        Federal agencies shall be streamlined and strengthened.
            (7) Additional Federal resources shall be made to State and 
        local election boards and agencies.
            (8) A quadrennial review of voting in America shall be 
        performed each year following the election of the President of 
        the United States.
    (b) Deadline.--The proposed legislation required by subsection (a) 
shall be submitted to Congress not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
    (c) Introduction and Vote Required.--The proposed legislation 
submitted to Congress pursuant to subsection (b) shall be introduced by 
the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives within 14 days of 
receipt of the proposal, and receive a vote in the House within 14 days 
thereafter. Should the measure pass the House, it shall receive 
consideration and a vote in the Senate within 14 days of passage in the 
House.

SEC. 4. COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be comprised of 
15 members appointed, in equal number, by the President, the Majority 
Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of 
Representatives.
    (b) Chair.--The President shall select the Chair of the Commission.
    (c) Timing of Appointments.--Appointments to the Commission shall 
be made not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
powers and shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made.
    (e) Compensation.--Members of the Commission shall serve without 
pay.
    (f) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at 
rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of 
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes 
or regular places of business in the performance of services for the 
Commission.
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