[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4990 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 318
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4990
[Report No. 116-396, Part I]
To direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the
National Science Foundation to carry out research and other activities
to promote the security and modernization of voting systems, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 8, 2019
Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio, Ms. Johnson of Texas,
and Mr. Lucas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the
Committee on House Administration, 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
February 13, 2020
Additional sponsors: Mr. Balderson, Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma, Mr.
Perlmutter, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Case, Mr. Harder of
California, Ms. Slotkin, and Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire
February 13, 2020
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with an
amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
February 13, 2020
Committee on House Administration discharged; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on
November 8, 2019]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the
National Science Foundation to carry out research and other activities
to promote the security and modernization of voting systems, 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 ``Election Technology Research Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.
(a) Voting Systems Research.--The Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with the
National Science Foundation as appropriate, shall carry out a program
of research on voting systems, including--
(1) the cybersecurity of different components of such
systems;
(2) end-to-end verifiable systems;
(3) Internet-enabled voting;
(4) the accessibility and usability of different components
of such systems;
(5) voter privacy and data protection;
(6) methods for auditing elections;
(7) the interoperability of system technologies;
(8) means for providing voters with the ability to easily
check whether a ballot sent by mail has been dispatched to the
voter and whether the voter's marked ballot has been received
and accepted by the appropriate election official;
(9) the reliability of various approaches to voter
authentication; and
(10) such other areas of research as the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology determines to be
appropriate and related to the security and integrity of
elections for Federal office.
(b) Elections Systems Center of Excellence.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall make an award to an institution
of higher education or an eligible nonprofit organization (or a
consortium thereof) to establish a Center of Excellence in
Election Systems.
(2) Collaborations.--The Director shall ensure that the
Center of Excellence includes a collaboration of institutions
of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private sector
entities, and State and local election officials.
(3) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center of Excellence shall
be to--
(A) conduct measurement research and statistical
analyses to inform the development of standards for
technologies and processes that contribute to more
secure, fair, and accessible elections;
(B) test and evaluate the security, usability, and
accessibility of the technologies of voting systems,
including the accessibility of poll book data by
voters;
(C) research testing methods that could be used for
the certification of voting system technologies;
(D) educate and train students studying in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to
conduct measurement science and standards research
relevant to such systems; and
(E) foster collaboration among academic
researchers, private sector vendors of election
technology, and State and local election officials.
(4) Requirements.--
(A) In general.--An institution of higher education
or an eligible nonprofit organization (or a consortium
thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall
submit an application to the Director at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the
Director may require.
(B) Applications.--Each application under
subparagraph (A) shall include a description of--
(i) how the Center will work with other
research institutions, industry partners, and
State or local election officials to identify
the measurement, testing, and standards needs
of voting systems and to leverage the expertise
of election practitioners; and
(ii) how the Center will promote active
collaboration among researchers in multiple
disciplines involved in ensuring the security
and integrity of such systems.
(C) Selection and duration.--Each Center
established under this section is authorized to carry
out activities for a period of 5 years, renewable for
an additional 5 years at the discretion of the
Director.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $12,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.
(a) Research Grants.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation, in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards
and Technology and other relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall award
basic research grants to increase the understanding of cyber and other
threats to voting systems and to inform the development of
technologies, processes, and policies that contribute to more secure,
fair, and accessible elections, including research on--
(1) the cybersecurity of different components of such
systems;
(2) end-to-end verifiable systems;
(3) the risks and benefits of Internet-enabled voting;
(4) the human-technology interface, including the
usability, accessibility, and comprehensibility of ballot
design, ballot marking devices, and other components of such
systems;
(5) voter privacy and data protection;
(6) voter practices regarding the verification of ballots
generated by ballot marking devices and the likelihood that
voters, both with and without disabilities, will recognize
errors or omissions with respect to such ballots; and
(7) such other topics as the Director determines to be
appropriate and related to the integrity of elections.
(b) Elections Systems Research Center.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation, in consultation with the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology and the Secretary of
Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall award grants to
institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit
organizations (or consortia thereof) to establish at least 1
multidisciplinary center for elections systems research and
education.
(2) Consortia.--A consortia receiving an award under this
subsection may include institutions of higher education,
nonprofit organizations, private sector entities, and State and
local election officials.
(3) Purpose.--The purpose of a center established with a
grant awarded under this subsection shall be to--
(A) conduct basic research to advance understanding
of cyber and other threats to election systems and the
conduct of secure, fair, and accessible elections;
(B) conduct research that may inform the
development of technologies, processes, and policies
that contribute to more secure, fair, and accessible
elections;
(C) educate and train students studying in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to
conduct research relevant to election systems;
(D) design curricula that address the growing
organizational management and information technology
needs of the election community; and
(E) foster collaboration among academic
researchers, private sector vendors of election
technology, and State and local election officials.
(4) Requirements.--
(A) In general.--An institution of higher education
or an eligible nonprofit organization (or a consortium
thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall
submit an application to the Director of the National
Science Foundation at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may
require.
(B) Applications.--Each application under
subparagraph (A) shall include a description of--
(i) how the center established with a grant
awarded under this subsection will work with
other research institutions, industry partners,
and State and local election officials to
identify research needs and leverage the
expertise of election practitioners; and
(ii) how the center will promote active
collaboration among researchers in multiple
disciplines involved in elections systems
security, including computer science, data
science, and social and behavioral sciences.
(5) Selection and duration.--Each center established with a
grant awarded under this section is authorized to carry out
activities for a period of 5 years, renewable for an additional
5 years at the discretion of the Director.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
SEC. 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND
TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE SECURITY AND MODERNIZATION OF
VOTING SYSTEMS.
(a) Common Data Format.--The National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall establish and make publicly available common data
format specifications for auditing, voter registration, and other
elements of voting systems, and provide the specifications to the
Technical Guidelines Development Committee of the Election Assistance
Commission under section 221(e) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002
(52 U.S.C. 20961(e)).
(b) Elections Systems Certifications.--The National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall work in collaboration with the Election
Assistance Commission to update the process under which voting systems
are certified pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002 so that
State and local election officials will be better able to carry out
updates and otherwise modernize such systems.
(c) Technical Assistance.--The Director of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology shall--
(1) provide technical assistance to State and local
election officials on the implementation of cybersecurity
standards, privacy standards, risk assessments, risk-limiting
audits, and technologies which are incorporated in the
voluntary voting system guidelines issued under the Help
America Vote Act of 2002; and
(2) in collaboration with the Department of Homeland
Security and the Election Assistance Commission, as
appropriate, conduct outreach to State and local election
officials in order to disseminate best practices for the
implementation of such voluntary voting system guidelines.
SEC. 5. GAO REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress that--
(1) addresses the extent to which efforts by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to assist the
Technical Guidelines Development Committee of the Election
Assistance Commission in the development of voluntary voting
systems guidelines have resulted in market-ready standardized
voting equipment and software, and addresses the resources made
available to NIST to carry out these activities;
(2) addresses efforts by NIST to monitor and review the
performance of laboratories accredited by the Elections
Assistance Commission and to make recommendations for
continuing accreditation, increased voting technology
reliability, and the number of accredited private laboratories,
and addresses resources made available to NIST to carry out
these activities; and
(3) addresses the extent to which the annual list of
suggestions required to be submitted by NIST to the Election
Assistance Commission for research issues for grants and pilot
programs under section 271(d) of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 (52 U.S.C. 21041) and the evaluation of grants and
programs by NIST has improved voting technology and been
successful in encouraging the implementation of new
technologies in voting systems and equipment.
SEC. 6. AMENDMENTS TO THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.
Section 301(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C.
21081(b)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``this section'' and inserting ``this Act'';
(2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
(3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (6); and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new
paragraphs:
``(2) any other paper or electronic technologies or
processes for collecting, storing, or transmitting personal
information of voters for use in the administration of
elections for Federal office, including electronic poll books
with respect to an election;
``(3) voter registration databases and systems, including
online interfaces;
``(4) systems for carrying out post-election auditing;
``(5) chain-of-custody procedures; and''.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``voting system'' has the meaning given such
term in section 301(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52
U.S.C. 21081(b)), as amended by section 6; and
(2) the term ``State'' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Union Calendar No. 318
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4990
[Report No. 116-396, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the
National Science Foundation to carry out research and other activities
to promote the security and modernization of voting systems, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
February 13, 2020
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with an
amendment
February 13, 2020
Committee on House Administration discharged; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed