107 HR 4563 RH: American Confidence in Elections Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-01-03 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
IBUnion Calendar No. 825118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 4563[Report No. 118–978, Part I]IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 11, 2023Mr. Steil (for himself, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Carey, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Bost, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Guest, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Ellzey, Ms. Boebert, Ms. Greene of Georgia, Mr. Timmons, Mr. LaTurner, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Collins, Mr. Mooney, Mr. Fry, Mr. D'Esposito, Mr. Cline, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Ms. Lee of Florida, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Amodei, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Moran, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Loudermilk, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mrs. Hinson, Mr. Scalise, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Latta, Mr. Kustoff, Mr. Stauber, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Moylan, Mr. LaLota, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mr. Alford, Mr. Graves of Missouri, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms. Mace, Mr. Moolenaar, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Gooden of Texas, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Hill, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Smucker, Mr. Wenstrup, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Balderson, Mrs. McClain, Mr. Babin, Mr. Mike Garcia of California, Mr. Cole, Mrs. Wagner, Ms. Granger, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Strong, Mr. Baird, Mr. Crawford, Mr. McClintock, Mrs. Miller of West Virginia, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Feenstra, Mr. Mills, Mr. Carl, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Zinke, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. Newhouse, Mrs. Fischbach, Mr. Bean of Florida, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, and Mr. Westerman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Science, Space, and Technology, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Oversight and Accountability, and 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 concernedJanuary 3, 2025Additional sponsors: Mr. James, Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. Luttrell, Mr. Rose, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. Yakym, Mr. Flood, Mr. Finstad, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Barr, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, Mr. Steube, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Meuser, Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Green of Tennessee, Mr. Waltz, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Walberg, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Fallon, Mr. Dunn of Florida, Mr. Santos, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Williams of New York, Mr. Lamborn, Ms. Hageman, and Mr. NehlsJanuary 3, 2025Reported from the Committee on House Administration with an amendmentStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicJanuary 3, 2025 Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Science, Space, and Technology, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Oversight and Accountability, and Rules discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printedFor text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 11, 2023A BILLTo promote election integrity, voter confidence, and faith in elections by removing Federal impediments to, equipping States with tools for, and establishing voluntary considerations to support effective State administration of Federal elections, improving election administration in the District of Columbia, improving the effectiveness of military voting programs, enhancing election security, and protecting political speech, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the American Confidence in Elections Act or the ACE Act.
2.
Table of contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title.Sec. 2. Table of contents.Sec. 3. General findings.Title I—Election Administration IntegritySubtitle A—Findings Relating to State Administration of Federal ElectionsSec. 101. Findings Relating to State Administration of Federal Elections.Subtitle B—Voluntary Considerations for State Administration of Federal ElectionsSec. 111. Short title.Sec. 112. Findings.Sec. 113. Election integrity voluntary considerations and Federal forum for State information sharing.Subtitle C—Requirements to Promote Integrity in Election AdministrationSec. 121. Ensuring only eligible American citizens may participate in Federal elections.Sec. 122. State reporting requirements with respect to voter list maintenance.Sec. 123. Contents of State mail voter registration form.Sec. 124. Provision of photographic citizen voter identification tools for State use.Sec. 125. Mandatory provision of identification for certain voters not voting in person.Sec. 126. Confirming access for congressional election observers.Sec. 127. Use of requirements payments for post-election audits.Sec. 128. Increase in threshold for requiring information reporting with respect to certain payees.Sec. 129. Voluntary guidelines with respect to nonvoting election technology.Sec. 130. Status reports by National Institute of Standards and Technology.Sec. 131. 501(c)(3) organizations prohibited from providing direct or indirect funding for election administration.Sec. 132. Federal agency involvement in voter registration activities.Sec. 133. Prohibition on use of Federal funds for election administration in States that permit ballot harvesting.Sec. 134. Clarification with respect to Federal election record-keeping requirement.Sec. 135. Clarification of rules with respect to hiring of election workers.Sec. 136. State assistance in assigning mailing addresses with respect to Tribal Governments.Sec. 137. State defined.Sec. 138. Voter registration for applicants without driver’s license or social security number.Sec. 139. GAO study on domestic manufacturing and assembly of voting equipment.Sec. 139A. GAO study and report on ability of States to comply with certain special election requirements.Subtitle D—District of Columbia Election Integrity and Voter ConfidenceSec. 141. Short title.Sec. 142. Statement of congressional authority; findings.Sec. 143. Requirements for elections in District of Columbia.Sec. 144. Repeal of Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022.Sec. 145. Effective date.Subtitle E—Administration of the Election Assistance CommissionSec. 151. Short title.Sec. 152. Findings relating to the administration of the Election Assistance Commission.Sec. 153. Requirements with respect to staff and funding of the Election Assistance Commission.Sec. 154. General requirements for payments made by Election Assistance Commission.Sec. 155. Executive Board of the Standards Board authority to enter into contracts.Sec. 156. Election Assistance Commission primary role in election administration assistance.Sec. 157. Clarification of the duties of the Election Assistance Commission.Sec. 158. Election Assistance Commission powers.Sec. 159. Membership of the Local Leadership Council.Sec. 160. Rule of construction.Subtitle F—Prohibition on Involvement in Elections by Foreign NationalsSec. 161. Prohibition on contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with ballot initiatives and referenda.Sec. 162. Prohibiting providing assistance to foreign nationals in making contributions or donations in connection with elections.Sec. 163. Prohibition on contributions by foreign nationals to certain tax-exempt entities.Subtitle G—Constitutional Experts Panel with Respect to Presidential ElectionsSec. 171. Short title.Sec. 172. Establishment of panel of constitutional experts.Title II—Military Voting AdministrationSec. 200. Short title.Subtitle A—Findings Relating to Military VotingSec. 201. Findings relating to military voting.Subtitle B—GAO Analysis on Military Voting AccessSec. 211. Government Accountability Office report on implementation of Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and improving access to voter registration information and assistance for absent uniformed services voters.Title III—First Amendment Protection ActSec. 300. Short title.Subtitle A—Protecting Political Speech and Freedom of AssociationPart 1—Protecting Political SpeechSec. 301. Findings.Sec. 302. Repeal of limits on coordinated political party expenditures.Sec. 303. Repeal of limit on aggregate contributions by individuals.Sec. 304. Equalization of contribution limits to State and national political party committees.Sec. 305. Expansion of permissible Federal election activity by State and local political parties.Sec. 306. Participation in joint fundraising activities by multiple political committees.Part 2—Protecting Freedom of AssociationSec. 307. Findings.Sec. 308. Protecting privacy of donors to tax-exempt organizations.Sec. 309. Reporting requirements for tax-exempt organizations.Sec. 310. Maintenance of standards for determining eligibility of section 501(c)(4) organizations.Subtitle B—Prohibition on Use of Federal funds for Congressional CampaignsSec. 311. Prohibiting use of Federal funds for payments in support of congressional campaigns.Subtitle C—Registration and Reporting RequirementsSec. 321. Electronic filing of electioneering communication reports.Sec. 322. Increased qualifying threshold and establishing purpose for political committees.Sec. 323. Increased threshold with respect to independent expenditure reporting requirement.Sec. 324. Increased qualifying threshold with respect to candidates.Sec. 325. Repeal requirement of persons making independent expenditures to report identification of certain donors.Subtitle D—Exclusion of Certain Amounts from Treatment as Contributions or ExpendituresSec. 331. Increased threshold for exemption of certain amounts as contributions.Sec. 332. Exemption of uncompensated internet communications from treatment as contribution or expenditure.Sec. 333. Media exemption.Subtitle E—Prohibition on Issuance of Regulations on Political ContributionsSec. 341. Prohibition on issuance of regulations on Political Contributions.Subtitle F—Miscellaneous ProvisionsSec. 351. Permanent extension of fines for qualified disclosure requirement violations.Sec. 352. Permitting political committees to make disbursements by methods other than check.Sec. 353. Designation of individual authorized to make campaign committee disbursements in event of death or incapacity of candidate.Sec. 354. Prohibiting aiding or abetting making of contributions in name of another.Sec. 355. Unanimous consent of Commission members required for Commission to refuse to defend actions brought against Commission.Sec. 356. Federal Election Commission member pay.Sec. 357. Uniform statute of limitations for proceedings to enforce Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.Sec. 358. Theft from political committee as a Federal crime.Sec. 359. Repeal of obsolete provisions of law.Sec. 360. Deadline for promulgation of proposed regulations.Title IV—Election SecuritySubtitle A—Promoting Election SecuritySec. 401. Short title.Sec. 402. Reports to Congress on foreign threats to elections.Sec. 403. Rule of construction.Subtitle B—Cybersecurity for Election SystemsSec. 411. Cybersecurity advisories relating to election systems.Sec. 412. Process to test for cybersecurity vulnerabilities in election equipment.Sec. 413. Sense of Congress regarding need to notify State and local officials of election cybersecurity incidents.Title V—Congressional RedistrictingSec. 501. Sense of Congress on authority to establish maps of congressional districts.Sec. 502. Authority for Speaker of the House to join certain civil actions relating to apportionment.Sec. 503. Census Monitoring Board.Title VI—Disinformation Governance BoardSec. 601. Termination of the Disinformation Governance Board.Sec. 602. Prohibition on funding similar board or similar activities.Title VII—SeverabilitySec. 701. Severability.
3.
General findings
Congress finds the following:(1)According to Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States, the States have the primary role in establishing (t)he Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, while Congress has a purely secondary role in this space and must restrain itself from acting improperly and unconstitutionally.(2)Federal election legislation should never be the first step and must never impose burdensome, unfunded Federal mandates on State and local elections officials. When Congress does speak, it must devote its efforts only to resolving highly significant and substantial deficiencies to ensure the integrity of our elections. State legislatures are the primary venues to establish rules for governing elections and correct most issues.(3)All eligible American voters who wish to participate must have the opportunity to vote, and all lawful votes must be counted.(4)States must balance appropriate election administration structures and systems with accessible access to the ballot box.(5)Political speech is protected speech.(6)The First Amendment protects the right of all Americans to state their political views and donate money to the candidates, causes, and organizations of their choice without fear of retribution.(7)Redistricting decisions are best made at the State level.(8)States must maintain the flexibility to determine the best redistricting processes for the particular needs of their citizens.(9)Congress has independent authority under the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments to ensure elections are conducted without unlawful discrimination.(10)The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, which are not anchored in Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution, have seen much success since their passage in 1964 and 1965, and Congress should continue to exercise its constitutional authority in this space as appropriate.
<enum>I</enum><header>Election Administration Integrity</header><subtitle id="HE340F46B62FD4066AA35AE059E357A57"><enum>A</enum><header>Findings Relating to State Administration of Federal Elections</header><section id="H1069DA3B312E4FFD8B80C7A8720E9530" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>101.</enum><header>Findings Relating to State Administration of Federal Elections</header><subsection id="HBC213CE8FD5F48378F1CEC2F9344A61D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that constitutional scholar Robert Natelson has done invaluable work with respect to the history and understanding of the Elections Clause.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC812275714ED4FE9928FBEC76BB3403A" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds the following: </text><paragraph id="H2D55F22E6B39440EA8A0E359BBD3C236"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Constitution reserves to the States the primary authority and the duty to set election legislation and administer elections—the <quote>times, places and manner of holding of elections</quote>—and Congress’ power in this space is purely secondary to the States’ power and is to be employed only in the direst of circumstances. History, precedent, the Framers’ words, debates concerning ratification, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution itself make it exceedingly clear that Congress’ power over elections is not unfettered.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEDBBDC1F50C148B5938EBAF80E3EF742"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Framing Generation grappled with the failure of the Articles of Confederation, which provided for only a weak national government incapable of preserving the Union. Under the Articles, the States had exclusive authority over Federal elections held within their territory; but, given the difficulties the national government had experienced with State cooperation (e.g., the failure of Rhode Island to send delegates to the Confederation Congress), the Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, were concerned with the possibility that the States, in an effort to destroy the Federal Government, simply might not hold elections or that an emergency, such as an invasion or insurrection, might prevent the operation of a State’s government, leaving the Congress without Members and the Federal Government unable to respond.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4841FBCE53DD4A26B8B6953B700640DC"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Quite plainly, Alexander Hamilton, a leading Federalist and proponent of our Constitution, understood the Elections Clause as serving only as a sort of emergency fail-safe, not as a cudgel used to nationalize our elections process. Writing as Publius to the people of New York, Hamilton further expounds on the correct understanding of the Elections Clause: <quote>T[he] natural order of the subject leads us to consider, in this place, that provision of the Constitution which authorizes the national legislature to regulate, in the last resort, the election of its own members.</quote>. Alexander Hamilton (writing as Publius), <italic>Federalist</italic> no. 59, <italic>Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members</italic>, N.Y. PACKET (Fri., Feb. 22, 1788).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0C14CCA6119D43A196FBE07B9D9D252B"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">When questioned at the States’ constitutional ratifying conventions with respect to this provision, the Federalists confirmed this understanding of a constitutionally limited, secondary congressional power under Article 1, Section 4. (<quote>[C]onvention delegate James McHenry added that the risk to the federal government [without a fail-safe provision] might not arise from state malice: An insurrection or rebellion might prevent a state legislature from administering an election.</quote>); (<quote>An occasion may arise when the exercise of this ultimate power of Congress may be necessary . . . if a state should be involved in war, and its legislature could not assemble, (as was the case of South Carolina and occasionally of some other states, during the [Revolutionary] war).</quote>); (<quote>Sir, let it be remembered that this power can only operate in a case of necessity, after the factious or listless disposition of a particular state has rendered an interference essential to the salvation of the general government.</quote>). <italic>See</italic> Robert G. Natelson, <italic>The Original Scope of the Congressional Power to Regulate Elections</italic>, 13 U. PA. J. CONST. L. 1, 12–13 (Nov. 2010).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6782EA9315D34B0BB5E321EBFED2CAD5"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">John Jay made similar claims in New York. And, as constitutional scholar Robert Natelson notes in his invaluable article, <italic>The Original Scope of the Congressional Power to Regulate Elections</italic>, <quote>Alexander Contee Hanson, a member of Congress whose pamphlet supporting the Constitution proved popular, stated flatly that Congress would exercise its times, places, and manner authority only in cases of invasion, legislative neglect or obstinate refusal to pass election laws [providing for the election of Members of Congress], or if a state crafted its election laws with a <quote>sinister purpose</quote> or to injure the general government.</quote> Cementing his point, Hanson goes further to decree, <quote>The exercise of this power must at all times be so very invidious, that congress will not venture upon it without some very cogent and substantial reason.</quote>. Alexander Contee Hanson (writing as Astrides), <italic>Remarks on the Proposed Plan: 31 January</italic>, reprinted in John P. Kaminski, Gaspare J. Saladino, and Richard Leffler (eds.), <italic>3 Commentaries on the Constitution, public and private 18 December 1787 to 31 January 1788</italic> 522–26 (1984). </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H91166A9834AE46D48D5EF9CD7300366A"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In fact, had the alternate view of the Elections Clause been accepted at the time of the Constitution’s drafting—that is, that it offers Congress unfettered power over Federal elections— it is likely that the Constitution would not have been ratified or that an amendment to this language would have been required.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC0251D92D03C4DC9BB2D9C19BB07E454"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Indeed, at least seven of the original 13 States—over half and enough to prevent the Constitution from being ratified—expressed specific concerns with the language of the Elections Clause. <italic>See</italic> 1 Annals of Cong. 799 (1789), Joseph Gales (ed.) (1834). However, <quote>[l]eading Federalists...</quote> assured them <quote>...that, even without amendment, the [Elections] Clause should be construed as limited to emergencies</quote>. Three States, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island, specifically made their ratification contingent on this understanding being made express. <italic>Ratification of the Constitution by the State of New York</italic> (July 26, 1788) (<quote>Under these impressions and declaring that the rights aforesaid cannot be abridged or violated, and the Explanations aforesaid are consistent with the said Constitution, And in confidence that the Amendments which have been proposed to the said Constitution will receive early and mature Consideration: We the said Delegates, in the Name and in [sic] the behalf of the People of the State of New York Do by these presents Assent to and Ratify the said Constitution. In full Confidence . . . that the Congress will not make or alter any Regulation in this State respecting the times places and manner of holding Elections for Senators or Representatives unless the Legislature of this State shall neglect or refuse to make laws or regulations for the purpose, or from any circumstance be incapable of making the same, and that in those cases such power will only be exercised until the Legislature of this State shall make provision in the Premises</quote>); <italic>Ratification of the Constitution by the State of North Carolina</italic> (Nov. 21, 1789) (<quote>That Congress shall not alter, modify, or interfere in the times, places, or manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, or either of them, except when the legislature of any state shall neglect, refuse or be disabled by invasion or rebellion, to prescribe the same.</quote>); <italic>Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Rhode Island</italic> (May 29, 1790) (<quote>Under these impressions, and declaring, that the rights aforesaid cannot be abridged or violated, and that the explanations aforesaid, are consistent with the said constitution, and in confidence that the amendments hereafter mentioned, will receive an early and mature consideration, and conformably to the fifth article of said constitution, speedily become a part thereof; We the said delegates, in the name, and in [sic] the behalf of the People, of the State of Rhode-Island and Providence-Plantations, do by these Presents, assent to, and ratify the said Constitution. In full confidence . . . That the Congress will not make or alter any regulation in this State, respecting the times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, unless the legislature of this state shall neglect, or refuse to make laws or regulations for the purpose, or from any circumstance be incapable of making the same; and that [i]n those cases, such power will only be exercised, until the legislature of this State shall make provision in the Premises[.]</quote>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6AC2AF19FEB24E85AD362F6868D11E68"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds that the Framers designed and the ratifying States understood the Elections Clause to serve solely as a protective backstop to ensure the preservation of the Federal Government, not as a font of limitless power for Congress to wrest control of Federal elections from the States. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB3F50A5421D645079B735964EDCBB48E"><enum>(9)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This understanding was also reinforced by debate during the first Congress that convened under the Constitution where Representative Aedanus Burke proposed a constitutional amendment to limit the Times, Places and Manner Clause to emergencies. Although the amendment failed, those on both sides of the Burke amendment debate already understood the Elections Clause to limit Federal elections power to emergencies.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H504F29A9EA084E1C870EC337DEEBB619"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">History clearly shows that even in the first Congress that convened under the Constitution, it was acknowledged and understood through the debates that ensued over the Elections Clause provision that Congress’ control over elections is limited.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H772B8E3AA7A345CDB64F3AFB8BF701F9"><enum>(11)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Similarly, proponent Representative Smith of South Carolina also believed the original text of the Elections Clause already limited the Federal Government’s power over Federal elections to emergencies and so thought there would be no harm in supporting an amendment to make that language express. Annals of Congress 801 (1789) Joseph Gales Edition. <italic>A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875 (loc.gov)</italic>. So, even the records of the First Congress reflect a recognition of the emergency nature of congressional power over Federal elections.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF48E0E10F59A4CFBAE50BD2D14A14B94"><enum>(12)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Similarly, the Supreme Court has supported this understanding. In <italic>Smiley v. Holm</italic>, the Court held that Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution reserved to the States the primary <quote>...authority to provide a complete code for congressional elections, not only as to times and places, but in relation to notices, registration, supervision of voting, protection of voters, prevention of fraud and corrupt practices, counting of votes, duties of inspectors and canvassers, and making and publication of election returns; in short, to enact the numerous requirements as to procedure and safeguards which experience shows are necessary in order to enforce the fundamental right involved. And these requirements would be nugatory if they did not have appropriate sanctions in the definition of offenses and punishments. All this is comprised in the subject of <quote>times, places and manner of holding elections</quote>, and involves lawmaking in its essential features and most important aspect.</quote>. <italic>Smiley v. Holm</italic>, 285 U.S. 355, 366 (1932).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDFA8DCF83FEA4F4FAB93BF61742A133F"><enum>(13)</enum><text>This holding is consistent with the understanding of the Elections Clause since the framing of the Constitution. The <italic>Smiley</italic> Court also held that while Congress maintains the authority to <quote>...supplement these state regulations or [to] substitute its own[]</quote>, such authority remains merely <quote>a general supervisory power over the whole subject.</quote>. <italic>Id</italic>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6D6B05A4E2A84E35A16D6BCDBC71AA89"><enum>(14)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">More recently, the Court noted in <italic>Arizona v. Inter-Tribal Council of Ariz., Inc.</italic> that <quote>[t]his grant of congressional power [that is, the fail-safe provision in the Elections Clause] was the Framers’ insurance against the possibility that a State would refuse to provide for the election of representatives to the Federal Congress.</quote>. <italic>Arizona v. Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc.</italic>, 570 U.S. 1, 7–9 (2013). The Court explained that the Elections Clause <quote>...imposes [upon the States] the duty...to prescribe the time, place, and manner of electing Representatives and Senators[.]</quote>. <italic>Id</italic>. at 8. And, while, as the Court noted, <quote>[t]he power of Congress over the <quote>Times, Places, and Manner</quote> of congressional elections is paramount, and may be exercised at any time, and to any extent which it deems expedient; and so far as it is exercised, and no farther, the regulations effected supersede those of the State which are inconsistent therewith[]</quote>, <italic>id</italic>. at 9, the <italic>Inter-Tribal</italic> Court explained, quoting extensively from the <italic>Federalist</italic> no. 59, that it was clear that the congressional fail-safe included in the Elections Clause was intended for the sorts of governmental self-preservation discussed here: <quote>[E]very government ought to contain in itself the means of its own preservation[.]</quote>; <quote>[A]n exclusive power of regulating elections for the national government, in the hands of the State legislatures, would leave the existence of the Union entirely at their mercy. They could at any moment annihilate it by neglecting to provide for the choice of persons to administer its affairs.</quote>. <italic>Id</italic>. at 8.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H01CB2238A83E43058A7B84DC397B5A72"><enum>(15)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is clear in every respect that the congressional fail-safe described in the Elections Clause vests purely secondary authority over Federal elections in the Federal legislative branch and that the primary authority rests with the States. Congressional authority is intended to be, and as a matter of constitutional fact is, limited to addressing the worst imaginable issues, such as invasion or other matters that might lead to a State not electing representatives to constitute the two Houses of Congress. Congress’ authority has never extended to the day-to-day authority over the <quote>Times, Places and Manner of Holding Elections</quote> that the Constitution clearly reserves to the States. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HFFF06FA822A24B56951D6168D766BDC4"><enum>(16)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress must act within the bounds of its constitutional authority when enacting legislation concerning the administration of our nation’s elections.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="HEECA489CDE4245DCB244CC480F3DF3F4"><enum>B</enum><header>Voluntary Considerations for State Administration of Federal Elections</header><section id="H13DF843EF75D46B98D3D9700EC1899B3"><enum>111.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This subtitle may be cited as the <quote>Voluntarily Offered Tools for Election Reforms by States Act</quote> or the <quote>VOTERS Act</quote>.</text></section><section id="HFF42C9D5BDEF4507813CE3A84D98927A"><enum>112.</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="HAE4DD86C3A8E4C01886BC8E7D492460E"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The United States Constitution reserves to the States the primary duty and authority to establish election law and to administer Federal elections. <italic>See</italic> article I, section 4, clause 1 of the Constitution of the United States. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA170D802F71F4CB796C7F292835F8D82"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Under America’s decentralized election system, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to how elections are administered.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB8128A174BF84B2BA439616C67CDF95D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Each State should be afforded the flexibility to implement election administration processes and procedures that are most beneficial in meeting the needs of its voters and ensuring that its elections are free, fair, and secure. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H54B68CA2796C4B209B2F1322ECC2B427"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Federal Government is in a position to provide States with voluntary tools to improve election integrity and voter confidence, as well to remove Federal impediments that hinder State efforts.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDE04D49A154B41ACB4CC37E0C8A1697B"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established to assist States in the administration of Federal elections. One of its core missions is to serve as a clearinghouse for election administration information and to provide a forum for States to discuss and exchange ideas on issues related to the administration of Federal elections, including practices, processes, and procedures.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8EB39CC0E7DE4A7CB36568EF986A9DC0"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The EAC’s Standards Board and Local Leadership Council are advisory boards with State and local election official membership from all fifty States and territories and are best suited to develop voluntary considerations for various election administration practices, processes, and procedures.</text></paragraph></section><section id="HC1F8EC4D37644CA28D4B43C47CFC45DE"><enum>113.</enum><header>Election integrity voluntary considerations and Federal forum for State information sharing</header><subsection id="HF6D8A067BBA644A7A41A1418A60967AB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subtitle C of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20981">52 U.S.C. 20981 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H6E8F7B5E49D048BBAB9BBA7C881C11C8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating section 247 as section 248; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC4C48B0FA7D8436A947DBEA3DAFC3201"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after section 246 the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HB30605CB586E49FE8D797F0792180B37" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="HEA1FAC182976405E9CB1B11E2B1B6002"><enum>247.</enum><header>Release of voluntary considerations by Standards Board and Local Leadership Council with respect to election administration</header><subsection id="H00F3DAE790EC490DA9F547B125435A07"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Standards Board and the Local Leadership Council of the Commission shall draw from experiences in their home jurisdictions and information voluntarily provided by and between States and their political subdivisions on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of election administration policies and release voluntary considerations with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office. </text></subsection><subsection id="H6EF78E545F3641E5ADEFC2685CA48A0A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Matters to consider</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In releasing the voluntary considerations under subsection (a), the Standards Board and the Local Leadership Council shall examine and consolidate information provided by States and release considerations with respect to each of the following categories:</text><paragraph id="HEE00086DE0F74408AA538C6B7EED35BF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The process for the administration of ballots delivered by mail, including—</text><subparagraph id="HD76B9B3E07754B68AFE3382284DB5A42"><enum>(A)</enum><text>deadlines for the return and receipt of such ballots to the appropriate election official;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H628015486C4346C9A8265A18C5F4E03B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the design of such ballots, including the envelopes used to deliver the ballots;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H355EFED86AF047D5A638C12A613B3ADB"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the process for requesting and tracking the return of such ballots; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7EEB407475414CB7B6D5D335F887E561"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the processing of such ballots upon receipt by the appropriate election official, including the schedule for counting the ballots and the reporting of the unofficial results of such counting; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1DDC2934768B46E28DA67D35208955B6"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">voter identity verification procedures, including signature matching or verification.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA154A8382A5A400BBD0389CC0586594B"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The signature verification procedures used to verify the identity of voters in an election, which shall include an evaluation of human and machine methods of signature verification, an assessment of the training provided to individuals tasked to carry out such verification procedures, and the proposal of other less subjective methods of confirming the identity of a voter such as requiring the identification number of a valid government-issued photo identification or the last four digits of the voter’s social security number to be provided along with the voter’s signature. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H06B534774F5843118BA9CFB924BEB8AE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The processes used to carry out maintenance of the official list of persons registered to vote in each State.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H73ED4472EE0144E28B9ABB8813BFAF70"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Rules and requirements with respect to the access provided to election observers. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H28DFAC553E584C6BAB4EA82C4B5B1275"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The processes used to ensure the timely and accurate reporting of the unofficial results of ballot counting in each polling place in a State and the reporting of the unofficial results of such counting. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H57ADC9845A814F9E8D895F0DAE86FC15"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The methods used to recruit poll workers and designate the location of polling places during a pandemic, natural disaster, or other emergency.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H54F10628108040258AC9C131088D08B1"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The education of the public with respect to the certification and testing of voting machines and related nonvoting election technology (as defined in section 298C of the Help America Vote Act of 2002) prior to the use of such machines and technology in an election for Federal office, including education with respect to—</text><subparagraph id="HB7B31504F26848549E59F0FC6069C70E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>how such machines and technology are tested for accuracy, logic, and security; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6A7DBA71EEE6407C9C4DC4C7E0A29195"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the connectivity to the public internet of such machines and technology. </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HDF723220C17E47F0B17E53AD8B2FF960"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The processes and procedures used to carry out a post-election audit.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCCB5626522134D9BABEFE619642D86D8"><enum>(9)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The processes and procedures used to ensure a secure chain of custody with respect to ballots and election equipment.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1A082535F9864BE18C34B371AEAA67AA"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Public education, access, and citizen oversight and input with respect to the certification and testing of voter machines prior to Federal elections.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H76D8C6AB370743ACAA5AE18567A59101"><enum>(11)</enum><text>The conduct of independent post-election audits.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9C5ED9839D8F4F879134BD9C14805733"><enum>(12)</enum><text>Transparency in the election and voting process.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0605EABC700D419093765DCB3C13F859"><enum>(13)</enum><text>Accountability measures to ensure compliance by election administrators with applicable law.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE9B503D9EA644698AA6EADBAC9121168"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Release of voluntary considerations</header><paragraph id="H0D23CEFEAE1B47E5B8921B6A07FEEE5E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Deadline for release</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of the American Confidence in Elections Act, the Standards Board shall release voluntary considerations with respect to each of the categories described in subsection (b).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H52C08BD44FBC47BFBF3798835E7F3E94"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Transmission and notification requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 15 days after the date the Standards Board releases voluntary considerations with respect to a category described in subsection (b), the Commission shall—</text><subparagraph id="H60950460934743A68CEC37DB7EE94DE6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>transmit the considerations to the chief State election official of each State and the elected leadership of the legislature of each State, including the elected leadership of any committee of the legislature of a State with jurisdiction with respect to elections;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H86FCB4F51136442DB8EDFA16EE576AAB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>make the considerations available on a publicly accessible Government website; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5904150811834BFCB8FF1FC8C28B5220"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">notify and transmit the considerations to the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate or their successor committees, and the chairs and ranking minority members of other relevant committees of Congress.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8552D1E1B0E34FC993569129D397BF02"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Use of requirements payments for implementation of voluntary considerations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A State may use a requirements payment provided under this Act or any other Federal funds made available to the State by the Commission for the purposes of election administration to implement any of the voluntary considerations released under subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="H2C31B1A43ECF4C708CF7B8212111D4A9"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section may be construed—</text><paragraph id="H3B95702946964B83B9DBF39D1E602059"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to require compliance with the voluntary considerations released under subsection (a), including as a condition of the receipt of Federal funds; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC88C4A249B894ADE80FA4C5C561E3C7F"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to treat the lack of compliance with such considerations as a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or to treat compliance with such considerations as a defense against an alleged violation of either such Act.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4E16D5995D464EEFACD38E8AB7FE37E4" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended—</text><paragraph id="H45E5BD05293342F5AECEBB1A1EE02DA7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating the item relating to section 247 as relating to section 248; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC56A3AA5666D4C1BBCBBC66CC87BE0A2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after the item relating to section 246 the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H85DEBAE732E44E2198F4FD0DD2A7D69C" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 247. Release of voluntary considerations by Standards Board and Local Leadership Council with respect to election administration.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="HF917D24040A94F8F89654CA9F288C7DB"><enum>C</enum><header>Requirements to Promote Integrity in Election Administration</header><section id="H0B3BD87353C446D68A785225A3CB0B2F"><enum>121.</enum><header>Ensuring only eligible American citizens may participate in Federal elections</header><subsection id="H273F86EF8FB24A428D9D5ECA1EAC1CA8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Non-Citizens: Outlawed from Voting in Our Trusted Elections Act of 2023</quote> or the <quote>NO VOTE for Non-Citizens Act of 2023</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HBEE0CF353F7645B48D4B65DA7485BB4B" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings; Sense of Congress</header><paragraph id="H6D5927EBA4274AF6B55842B34AAD7997"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><subparagraph id="H9063264836514FEB80BB87289149AA49"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Every eligible American citizen who wishes to cast a ballot in a Federal election must be permitted to do so according to law, and their ballot must be examined according to law, and, if it meets all lawful requirements, counted.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC61CFBBCDB0A4A81BBACEA84A3AE5FF6"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress has long required States to lists of eligible voters in Federal elections in a manner that promotes voter confidence.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEC964935FCBA40DFAA84F56D9D3245D0"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The changes included herein are not intended to be an expansion of Federal power but rather a clarification of State authority.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9DCC6EBE5994469590EBEB40365DBC45"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Fifteenth Amendment, the Nineteenth Amendment, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment, and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, among other references, make clear that the Constitution prohibits voting by non-citizens in Federal elections.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H087762A78FC649D384256D1563CBFFEB"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress has the constitutional authority, including under the aforementioned amendments, to pass statutes preventing non-citizens from voting in Federal elections, and did so with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBF429C9590B34B99A1664F524722869B"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress may further exercise its constitutional authority to ensure the Constitution’s prohibition on non-citizen voting in Federal elections is upheld.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9F37F8DAC9A54223882238F08E743478"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Since the Constitution prohibits non-citizens from voting in Federal elections, such ineligible persons must not be permitted to be placed on lists of eligible voters in Federal elections.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA95383C5C59C4F059E6A9C45C9B5A967"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Improper placement of an ineligible non-citizen on a list of eligible voters in Federal elections leads to—</text><clause id="H74FA7DB2D1AC42E5B4CB74FF37E4648A"><enum>(i)</enum><text>confusion on the part of the ineligible person with respect to their ineligibility to cast a ballot; and</text></clause><clause id="HD885FE359D15412EA8CD4757017E38FA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>an increased likelihood that human error will permit ineligible persons to cast ballots in Federal elections.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H883A1F2482DE4F5589DBEB8D24FF1EC2"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">State officials have confirmed that poorly maintained voter registration lists lead to ineligible persons casting ballots in Federal elections.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H31D9676C7F2E4D63B74C7D66886A4D27"><enum>(J)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A former Broward County, Florida, elections supervisor has confirmed that ineligible non-voters were able to cast ballots in previous elections and that she was not able to locate as many as 2,040 ballots during the 2018 midterm recount.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H98F76A76D9C14E55B949AD3F8AF0770C"><enum>(K)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This clarification of State authority to maintain lists of eligible voters in Federal elections to ensure non-citizens are not included on such lists will promote voter confidence in election processes and outcomes.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD9E6E450058644C0B119F42161A3DD19"><enum>(L)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress has the authority to ensure that no Federal elections funding is used to support States that permit non-citizens to cast ballots in any election.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0ACAE8FEEFE846BD8086B4532D49C85B"><enum>(M)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Federal courts and executive agencies have much of the information States may need to maintain their lists of eligible voters in Federal elections, and those entities should make that information accessible to State election authorities.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H337FE06AB1FE4347A1D0D5EAB58D0EC4"><enum>(N)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is important to clarify the penalty for any violation of law that allows a non-citizen to cast a ballot in a Federal election.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA3B4B36A7BB543E3827115F31B539079"><enum>(O)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To protect the confidence of voters in Federal elections, it is important to implement the policy described herein.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3D6AAC153E50403784ABF79F15CC5D61"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text>It is the sense of Congress that—</text><subparagraph id="H40A9A6496A55428DA31794F794E091A4"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">many States have not adequately met the requirements concerning the removal of ineligible persons from State voter registration rolls pursuant to section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507</external-xref>) and should strive to audit and update their voter registration rolls on a routine basis;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4820FADB18C944B2A01BEC6A3D356AAB"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">allowing non-citizens to cast ballots in American elections weakens our electoral system, directly and indirectly impacts Federal policy and funding decisions and candidate choice through the election of State and local officials, dilutes the value of citizenship, and sows distrust in our elections system;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBE7DAB72044A491BAF5E9DF960EEEE28"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">even if a State has the sovereign authority, no State should permit non-citizens to cast ballots in State or local elections;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1665835EE1FE4312B1F04407AB2A0C06"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">States should use all information available to them to maintain Federal voter registration lists and should inform Congress if such data is insufficient; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBF9572BF2A7249208D856DBC59876EE1"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress may take further action in the future to address this problem.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HAD43F610E8D54D0E821A8169CB2C1049"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clarifying authority of States to remove noncitizens from voting rolls</header><paragraph id="HAAB95FE6C705402AB540B4A671B6B3A6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Authority under regular removal programs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 8(a)(4) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(4)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H7CD16C5406D14C6D9EC74B7FD9DC4C31"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end of subparagraph (A);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H465CF2C3C7874A4E8CEF40013F49410E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7EA5CAB0567D4DB393BD5F9D3E3726F8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H83AEFE2C0D524B91A9CB8D0439182100" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HA8E78AD75A4640D581F7C2427CF8A6DD"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the registrant’s status as a noncitizen of the United States; or</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H14255B1426BE447688C4B8F737F88A2C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to ongoing removal</header><text>Section 8(c)(2)(B)(i) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507(c)(2)(B)(i)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>(4)(A)</quote> and inserting <quote>(4)(A) or (B)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H92BF088E44514D16B9A45DBECEF8F628"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Requirement to maintain separate State voter registration list for noncitizens</header><text>Section 8(a) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H517FDA6CCCC94E17A921A4E8666F5DBA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (5)(B), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H518793FF3220471D9FA84A5A6E67AC19"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB69EFF89C3BE4AB88C3055D39D554ACB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H9DB26C0D2C0049BD9C7AFC114C5B9012" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HDF5D5D50204949809EBBCBD1F48952B6"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of a State that allows individuals who are not citizens of the United States to vote in elections for public office in the State or any local jurisdiction of the State, ensure that the name of any registrant who is not a citizen of the United States is maintained on a voter registration list that is separate from the official list of eligible voters with respect to registrants who are citizens of the United States. </text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC79EC71C7EC340D1B638E9EDF7A66E6D"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Requirements for ballots for State or local jurisdictions that allow noncitizen voting</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(a)(1) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21081">52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H1D5ABE16C0CB4DE89CA4FE8CA6678C2A" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="H909D4F428958491D9195C712BB4C7236"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of a State or local jurisdiction that allows individuals who are not citizens of the United States to vote in elections for public office in the State or local jurisdiction, the ballot used for the casting of votes by a noncitizen in such State or local jurisdiction may only include the candidates for the elections for public office in the State or local jurisdiction for which the noncitizen is permitted to vote.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HCA2F841444494C6D9B6A8580CE2B8076" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Reduction in payments for election administration to States or local jurisdictions that allow noncitizen voting</header><paragraph id="HF405AD5187D84AF6BF1C95B0C1DEE746"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title IX of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H5B2C649D01BE470DAD065103B74BB88F" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="HE82EEB16A2B74D9BA2BEE1E4AA6D45C9"><enum>907.</enum><header>Reduction in payments to States or local jurisdictions that allow noncitizen voting</header><subsection id="H7CC9C0682C404F0DA2D0EBC46EF2460C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the amount of a payment under this Act to any State or local jurisdiction that allows individuals who are not citizens of the United States to vote in elections for public office in the State or local jurisdiction shall be reduced by 30 percent. </text></subsection><subsection id="H772A9DEB6829434381F570A39998C6D0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition on use of funds for certain election administration activities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be used to implement the requirements of section 8(a)(7) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(7)</external-xref>) (as added by section 121(d) of the American Confidence in Elections Act) or section 301(a)(1)(D) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21081">52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(1)(D)</external-xref>) (as added by section 121(e) of the American Confidence in Elections Act) in a State or local jurisdiction that allows individuals who are not citizens of the United States to vote in elections for public office in the State or local jurisdiction.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HCEEB21CB1AD14508A7CA6140AE531A5B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H49FC3CDEE58849BCA0B301E67F9CEFBF" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 907. Reduction in payments to States or local jurisdictions that allow noncitizen voting.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H20E7471A65584B1DB1542493B5747190"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Promoting provision of information by Federal entities</header><paragraph id="H01F90B196DD74D0A9B99C33EC544BA60"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><subparagraph id="HF2A930B114474B3D95A49F36A71635A6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>Each entity of the Federal Government which maintains information which is relevant to the status of an individual as a registered voter in elections for Federal office in a State shall, upon the request of an election official of the State, provide that information to the election official.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3EC7EF3FB5FE408C9C7708F2882B650D"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Prohibiting fees</header><text>The head of an entity described in subparagraph (A) may not charge a fee for responding to an election official’s request under such subparagraph.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFE9CFD290D6A44BCA0696F5F79320A4F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Policies and procedures</header><text>Consistent with section 3506(g) of title 44, United States Code, an entity of the Federal Government shall carry out this subsection in accordance with policies and procedures which will ensure that the information is provided securely, accurately, and in a timely basis.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDE629C5FF897482AACF475206BD4A5E8"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to coverage under Privacy Act</header><text>Section 552a(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H375BC83DE43A43BA8A22FF562A3C3A2A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end of paragraph (11);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8B826D93F55142B8A11D252F4CDCDA69"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H63D95D7476D747BB9668071460C32495"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="H5C0E7CBD123940319E2F10A8AA39053E" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H72A5443E01B148F39F63C41A372D2F82"><enum>(13)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to an election official of a State in accordance with section 121(h) of the American Confidence in Elections Act.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9C727744753A425D884137345A58E039"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Ensuring provision of information to State election officials on individuals recused from jury service on grounds of noncitizenship</header><paragraph id="HF404C53C1BD04D4183F2DD157C039FF0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Requirement described</header><text>If a United States district court recuses an individual from serving on a jury on the grounds that the individual is not a citizen of the United States, the court shall transmit a notice of the individual’s recusal—</text><subparagraph id="H3AEC4C209B56441AB8FEB3A85E5531D5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to the chief State election official of the State in which the individual resides; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC62CBE693C04442B95287549CFA942A7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to the Attorney General of the United States.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC72E544D3022490ABD7407CBE95D04AE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For purposes of this subsection—</text><subparagraph id="H6F5E1F7C43594B868A75F562B18E95CA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the <quote>chief State election official</quote> of a State is the individual designated by the State under section 10 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20509">52 U.S.C. 20509</external-xref>) to be responsible for coordination of the State’s responsibilities under such Act; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H774D9930D1C54AA8996FC51A2B849F42"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the term <term>State</term> has the meaning given such term in section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141</external-xref>), as amended by section 138.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF0908F64FBB540278B28E73A9F51DEFE" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Prohibition on voting by noncitizens in Federal elections</header><paragraph id="H95A8114016DF4306B93CC4A0758F6B91"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 12 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20511">52 U.S.C. 20511</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H541C8E39DA37408E983C86CCD9517A77" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>A person</quote> and inserting <quote>(a) <header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">In general.—</header-in-text>A person</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDB4FB2D6C1B443FB8EA52C60ED1A976B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H78DE2EC46FD3410DACB439B8CC2F9E43" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H1577238817844B82893EF82E4E5A4AD5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition on voting by aliens</header><paragraph id="HC93EC46AE727400680AEE81673C0F66A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election in violation of section 611 of title 18, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H02A17C47BDA74F679DAE632FDC8E33EB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Penalties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any person who violates this subsection shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1761F4E64C6E4343AD8B4F8D87C0C86D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This subsection and the amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to elections held after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA91D72B91C51404DAB079142884625B6" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>122.</enum><header>State reporting requirements with respect to voter list maintenance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HDB623EC8D1BE4ACD82829C414F8BCD6B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (i), by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HFB3EC54FDDEB47BA92E2276349C607F3" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H1E1BB3E4240542C1A67D4B6E97DD7C5F" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The records maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include lists of the names and addresses of all registrants in a State who were inactive according to the criteria described in subsection (d)(1)(B) and the length of time each such registrant has been inactive according to such criteria.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H18DFF6D605454E62830696D9DD8E750F" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Nothing in this subsection may be construed to waive the requirement that a State make the records maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) publically available, without regard to whether or not the records are maintained in whole or in part, or were provided to the State or a political subdivision of the State, by a nongovernmental organization or other private entity. </text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H1651BB24233A4F96ADA8FCEB23251B23"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H99FE14E9C1B748D49927BFCD61EA25EE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HAD9BDA4713324BEC8618CB2C2C9DDA56" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HF926CE86E08B4C288E219B26405087C8"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Reporting requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, each State shall submit to the Election Assistance Commission a report that includes, with respect to such State during the preceding 2-year period, the total number of—</text><paragraph id="HD25457EDE6F848BDBC306DCFF11B9300"><enum>(1)</enum><text>registrants who were inactive according to the criteria described in subsection (d)(1)(B) and the length of time each such registrant has been inactive according to such criteria;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9A882D97CE4F4B5E82491876CC0BDB40"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">registrants who voted in at least one of the prior 2 consecutive general elections for Federal office;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEAD293B45F034D6282D7A867E189973E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>registrants removed from the list of official voters in the State pursuant to subsection (d)(1)(B);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H72A74EC1D11A4AB5AF9E449FB6F181AC"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">notices sent to registrants pursuant to subsection (d)(2); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA9291B1A6D4043A6A806481101407BDE"><enum>(5)</enum><text>registrants who received a notice described in paragraph (4) who responded to such notice. </text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="H147D47445591450191713AC178116C20" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>123.</enum><header>Contents of State mail voter registration form</header><subsection id="HA39FECC6461042829318B0B84A06094F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>State Instruction Inclusion Act</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H00750AEF99EE45AA9D773972E8EB3F70"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 6(a) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20505">52 U.S.C. 20505(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H0275C63F84AA44E981DADE614C677A06"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by inserting <quote>, except that a State may, in addition to the criteria stated in section 9(b), require that an applicant provide proof that the applicant is a citizen of the United States</quote> after <quote>elections for Federal office</quote>; and </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA68E2355AD584F72B0A04B6521C83C4D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>and such form may include a requirement that the applicant provide proof that the applicant is a citizen of the United States</quote> after <quote>elections for Federal office</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HD9350E3356DA45A68AD4FF1FBFB23514"><enum>124.</enum><header>Provision of photographic citizen voter identification tools for State use</header><subsection id="H78AAC204FAEB4124B3FA7D10B123A277"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Citizen Vote Protection Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HA246217D9738473F98581766AFAACBAA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings; Sense of Congress</header><paragraph id="H103F21ED225E435E92EBE4C987C716F2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds the following:</text><subparagraph id="H28E301DFD10743CFBE94ECF985844C17"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Photo voter identification programs established by the States should be administered without unlawful discrimination and with an eye toward balancing appropriate access to the ballot box with election integrity and voter confidence goals.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6C148A46C4ED4BD09DE305CA9198E499"><enum>(B)</enum><text>As confirmed by the bipartisan Commission on Federal Election Reform (commonly known as the Carter-Baker Commission), <quote>[v]oters in nearly 100 democracies use a photo identification card without fear of infringement of their rights</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H248F819D29424E4FBA0A406E1D483100"><enum>(C)</enum><text>As confirmed by the Carter-Baker Commission, “[t]he right to vote is a vital component of U.S. citizenship and all States should use their best efforts to obtain proof of citizenship before registering voters.”.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H26F5D455D0614779A217CAB3D0518E30"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Carter-Baker Commission was correct in its 2005 report when it recommended that the REAL ID Act be <quote>modestly adapted for voting purposes to indicate on the front or back whether the individual is a U.S. citizen.</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1E8CD68D9B314A4EA10C35607B5EA9B2"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress acknowledges the important work completed by the Carter-Baker Commission and, by amending the REAL ID Act, resolves the concerns in the Commission’s report that <quote>[t]he REAL ID Act does not require that the card indicates citizenship, but that would need to be done if the card is to be used for voting purposes</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2872267793AB465E8E2FE8FA5FE903A0"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Photographic voter identification is important for ensuring voter confidence in election processes and outcomes.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA23DF1ED89884761B383A6EDF5B3D7B1"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Requiring photographic voter identification is well within States’ constitutional competence, including pursuant to the Qualifications Clause of the Constitution of the United States (article I, section 2, clause 2), the Presidential Electors Clause of the Constitution (article II, section 1, clause 2), and the Seventeenth Amendment.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEA9E309E3947494EA013DAC14B57969A"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Fifteenth Amendment, the Nineteenth Amendment, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment, and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, among other references, make clear that the Constitution prohibits voting by non-citizens in Federal elections.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5D36343287E0414596006D7F7F3013E4"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress has the constitutional authority, including under the aforementioned amendments, to pass statutes preventing non-citizens from voting in Federal elections, and did so with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBC4A8B1C232B41749BA28937592A8068"><enum>(J)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress may further exercise its constitutional authority to ensure the Constitution’s prohibition on non-citizen voting in Federal elections is upheld.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0B02CCF8EB064D72815C8584EA4CE07F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that—</text><subparagraph id="H450BF0E2928040AEBE703C08DA35840B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the States should implement the substance of the recommendation of the Carter-Baker Commission that, <quote>[t]o ensure that persons presenting themselves at the polling place are the ones on the registration list, the Commission recommends that States [encourage] voters to use the REAL ID card, which was mandated in a law signed by the President in May 2005</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF937C4C3AB294A47A3207EA2E18182EF"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a standard State photo identification document, when required for voting purposes, should be available at no cost to individuals who cannot afford the cost of obtaining such document.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H337B6045E0F24DE3891D4CC2BFCFCB3D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>REAL ID Act Amendment</header><paragraph id="HEAF33DC0535047E1BAF3CDAA7647BC8D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 202(b) of the Real ID Act of 2005 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/49/30301">49 U.S.C. 30301</external-xref> note) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H2F1F55C6B1F648BEA815A823C075E76F" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HC9C0DA214B9240B99E15D9C8157961FB"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the person is a citizen of the United States, an indication of that citizenship, except that no other information may be included with respect to the immigration status of the person.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H70714C00126E4F17A31FF0F1F47E0E9B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendment made by this subsection shall be effective January 1, 2026, and shall apply with respect to any driver’s license or identification card issued by a State on and after such date.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H29E09B633AFD44CDA3888A31B0C3BA14"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section or in any amendment made by this section may be construed to establish or mandate the use of a national identification card or to authorize any office of the executive branch to establish or mandate the use of a national identification card.</text></subsection></section><section id="HDB240161811443ECAF092D98097F4AB2"><enum>125.</enum><header>Mandatory provision of identification for certain voters not voting in person</header><subsection id="HC733E40D30DA432D80BF47D1D5C828FC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requiring voters to provide identification</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21081">52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H8D8A238C28344FBEBA93640E29546ED1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 and 306; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA590D7F777224C33A678BC8D6B11222F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after section 303 the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H9FF8EA8019934D4E8BA8B67FA025CE15" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="HDA5D908EEF444A11B13D5EB72C30A4AB"><enum>304.</enum><header>Mandatory provision of identification for certain voters who vote by mail</header><subsection id="H376BC60511AA43219BBFB048E010F659" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Finding of Constitutional authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds that it has the authority to establish the terms and conditions that States must follow with respect to the administration of voting by mail because article I, section 8, clause 7 of the Constitution of the United States and other enumerated powers grant Congress the power to regulate the operations of the United States Postal Service. </text></subsection><subsection id="HC1A30B4ADB814D589168A31DBF66B0A7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requiring provision of identification to receive a ballot or vote in certain cases</header><paragraph id="HCAFFF1602C9E4A53B2ACA2C2D81B19A8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Individuals requesting a ballot to vote by mail</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the appropriate State or local election official may not provide an individual a ballot to vote by mail for an election for Federal office in a case in which the individual requested such ballot other than in person from the appropriate State or local election official of the State at a State-designated elections office unless the individual submits with the application for the ballot a copy of an identification described in paragraph (3).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H458E88963F3C40E4A55C9976D0852630"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Individuals voting by mail in certain cases</header><subparagraph id="H5DB7DE81B8194249BC0A51E53C62787B"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in a case in which the appropriate State or local election official provides an individual a ballot to vote by mail for an election for Federal office without requiring such individual to submit a separate application or request to receive such ballot for each such election, the election official may not accept the voted ballot unless the individual submits with the voted ballot a copy of an identification described in paragraph (3).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5217DD241FFC4C42B5CA53F85643F37B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Fail-safe voting</header><text>An individual who desires to vote other than in person but who does not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) may cast such a ballot other than in person and the ballot shall be counted as a provisional ballot in accordance with section 302(a).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H539503D2397941C39E2D75849F6474E5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Identification described</header><text>An identification described in this paragraph is, with respect to an individual—</text><subparagraph id="H1F3524F6F491494FA2CF7A94FAE66068"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a current and valid photo identification of the individual; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA4AB0D935D0047218E1F1FA03F23A248"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the individual;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3A04CBED6C2841C6A2712066F40EB5E4"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a valid driver’s license or an identification card issued by a State or the identification number for such driver’s license or identification card issued by a State;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4B54840DA8E64F5D9BCE8D179CED220E"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the last 4 digits of the individual's social security number; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCB20DC067E594784AD656E7F15F5BC84"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such other documentation issued by the Federal Government or by a State, local, or Tribal government that provides the same or more identifying information as required by subparagraphs (A) through (D) such that the election official is reasonably certain as to the identity of the individual. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H32FF50379BF84616819245D6098DB356"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section does not apply with respect to any individual who is—</text><paragraph id="H6E5308628ECF4A0C9E4DE007ED3EFC9E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7B30A6293CC3401DA1E923963FFBAE34"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provided the right to vote otherwise than in person under section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20102">52 U.S.C. 20102(b)(2)(B)(ii)</external-xref>); or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2E3D14BD2A034E5B8D56E1D21D4E852E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>entitled to vote otherwise than in person under any other Federal law.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF4F3D4A896DF4709AB6D20F4FFE51823"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section may be construed—</text><paragraph id="HC147889FF7D54229AAFD377D84B77F87"><enum>(1)</enum><text>as prohibiting a State from imposing identification requirements to request a ballot to vote by mail or cast a vote by mail that are more stringent than the requirements under this section; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H353B1C40E6F440D9881DE937CEFE4A9A"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">as affecting the authority of a State to require notarization or witness signature or other formal authentication as a condition of obtaining or casting an absentee ballot.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA04AB69F340646BEB9FE319DC23FA651"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>This section shall take effect on January 1, 2025. </text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H87B95CE0A7834222968C8A6E72541E3B" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments relating to existing identification requirements</header><paragraph id="H6B57EE0CC33242879F7AF97EA2304FFC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Treatment as individuals registering to vote by mail for purposes of first-time voter identification requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 303(b)(1)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21083">52 U.S.C. 21083(b)(1)(A)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>by mail</quote> and inserting <quote>by mail or otherwise not in person at an elections office or voter registration agency of the State</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5D02D0467C1646CC92D30DB1BC443A4F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 303(b)(3) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21083">52 U.S.C. 21083(b)(3)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H3AC37861463B4AF4A04B3F5545C1E3B9"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>by mail under section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg-4">42 U.S.C. 1973gg-4</external-xref>)</quote> and inserting <quote>by mail under section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20505">52 U.S.C. 20505</external-xref>) or otherwise not in person at a voter registration agency of the State</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H345DD20422B14744BB6CC2086520F5CD"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking <quote>by mail under section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg-4">42 U.S.C. 1973gg-4</external-xref>)</quote> and inserting <quote>by mail under section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20505">52 U.S.C. 20505</external-xref>) or otherwise not in person at a voter registration agency of the State</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE610EB34FBBD4107A5BA93A5FEA64C97"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Expansion of types of identification permitted</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 303(b)(2)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21083">52 U.S.C. 21083(b)(2)(A)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H71FAD405B5074F369246E64A09ED620C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (i)—</text><clause id="HAA96B21883A44E499156C733D0BF677C"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subclause (I), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end; and</text></clause><clause id="H9CC15FE4E9D44DB092793970A2A786FE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following new subclause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HC96698E108F948E5BD15188C7136AEA0" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subclause id="HE31E2ADC19E24D548969B55F2CC27C7D"><enum>(III)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such other documentation issued by a Federal, State, or local government that provides the same or more identifying information as required by subclauses (I) and (II) such that the election official is reasonably certain as to the identity of the individual; or</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7A6493C67BA84EFCAC2B5C2FD39DBB87"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (ii)—</text><clause id="H6A52BF4610FE49A180EC7D2D7EF4790B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in subclause (I), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></clause><clause id="H9ABECE6D7A3744B2820C87C5664B4B8F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subclause (II), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and </text></clause><clause id="H65020CB326634365AA20099B84A58CA0"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subclause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H8C2882F492264D4B9F7BD9EA53938664" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subclause id="HD76F05EEC85848159434BA073350C2AE"><enum>(III)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such other documentation issued by a Federal, State, or local government that provides the same or more identifying information as required by subclauses (I) and (II) such that the election official is reasonably certain as to the identity of the individual.</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HB7205150FFEF42B78C9563ACC3269596"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to enforcement</header><text>Section 401 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21111">52 U.S.C. 21111</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>and 303</quote> and inserting <quote>303, and 304</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HECB8C0252C7F45A18C550EA3C1B546B2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended—</text><paragraph id="HB1103A825ADC4951BC4A432D0244DEAD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating the items relating to sections 304 and 305 as relating to sections 305 and 306; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3EFC525A9E874987AB9A72F106D44452"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF5776C1245EE4DBA9FB78D21D9783C87" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 304. Mandatory provision of identification for certain voters who vote by mail.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H6027FBAFCCC845A8B698AFCAE6CCC437"><enum>126.</enum><header>Confirming access for congressional election observers</header><subsection id="H0D2199E2B2904632A9E125ED1B32B497"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Confirmation of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2023</quote> or the <quote>COCOA Act of 2023</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC13D9C9DBCCB4FF6B217DA88860EF6CE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings relating to Congressional election observers</header><text>Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H8D65FAC0878041F09489479691965787"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Constitution delegates to each House of the Congress the authority to “be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members”.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H23DA77833DF64039AA35AB0F32E84B9A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>While, in general, Congress shall respect the determination of State authorities with respect to the election of members to each House, each House of Congress serves as the final arbiter over any contest to the seating of any putative Member-elect or Senator-elect.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4C23D88D2DD945BC902E1E9B0FE53A47"><enum>(3)</enum><text>These election contest procedures are contained in the precedents of each House of Congress. Further, for the House of Representatives the procedures exist under the Federal Contested Elections Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE61FCAA963494499A928543F7C314588"><enum>(4)</enum><text>In the post-Civil War modern era, more than 100 election contests have been filed with the House of Representatives.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB58C37393F634BA0B6368C1F601879A8"><enum>(5)</enum><text>For decades, Congress has appointed and sent out official congressional observers to watch the administration of congressional elections in the States and territories.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3C96ED73343D40408EAD067B0898BCAA"><enum>(6)</enum><text>These observers serve to permit Congress to develop its own factual record in preparation for eventual contests and for other reasons.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE9E0E8A8FC1545AEBF9B4DF247F2BFB6"><enum>(7)</enum><text>This section and the amendments made by this section do not establish any new authorities or procedures but are provided simply to permit a convenient statutory reference for existing congressional authority and activity.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1E41E7FF3580402E8B8E9BB181B48E3E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Confirming requirement that States provide access</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21081">52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.</external-xref>), as amended by section 125(a), is amended—</text><paragraph id="HE5A85208DD16407397E8DD14A05BEDFE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as sections 306 and 307; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1A1E07C4F858490FB7D9D249D81D6DD9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after section 304 the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HDAE81AD10ABD4CB182463D45F1500008" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="H63A352CCF6664196B20C417674BE1BD9"><enum>305.</enum><header>Confirming access for congressional election observers</header><subsection id="HFFCBF46EC9F247C9BAFA11DF41B1065E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Finding of Constitutional authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds that it has the authority to require that States allow access to designated congressional election observers to observe the election administration procedures in an election for Federal office because the authority granted to Congress under article I, section 5 of the Constitution of the United States gives each House of Congress the power to be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own Members.</text></subsection><subsection id="HBBD0897E0485410DA3E52EE75E830296"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requiring States to provide access</header><text>A State shall provide each individual who is a designated congressional election observer for an election with full access to clearly observe all of the elements of the administration procedures with respect to such election, including but not limited to in all areas of polling places and other facilities where ballots in the election are processed, tabulated, cast, canvassed, and certified, in all areas where voter registration activities occur before such election, and in any other such place where election administration procedures to prepare for the election or carry out any post-election recounts take place. No designated Congressional election observer may handle ballots, elections equipment (voting or non voting), advocate for a position or candidate, take any action to reduce ballot secrecy or otherwise violate the privacy of a voter, or otherwise interfere with the elections administration process.</text></subsection><subsection id="H0C440A158C674D46A3E9CA1BF4374792"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Designated congressional election observer described</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, a <quote>designated congressional election observer</quote> is an individual who is designated in writing by the chair or ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, or the successor committee in either House of Congress to gather information with respect to an election, including in the event that the election is contested in the House of Representatives or the Senate and for other purposes permitted by article 1, section 5 of the Constitution of the United States.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H05C5E3E6E0434C81879DA216C3D4CD3C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to enforcement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 401 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21111">52 U.S.C. 21111</external-xref>), as amended by section 125(c), is amended by striking <quote>and 304</quote> and inserting <quote>304, and 305</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7833216A36F24BA9935525037FBEE520"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act, as amended by section 125(d), is amended—</text><paragraph id="HB59E149474BC4B318C922A3F5174A5BD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating the items relating to sections 305 and 306 as relating to sections 306 and 307; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H64A27D71A38B4F479CC8868A082BFB6E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after the item relating to section 304 the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H071F17AB76354AB7852458358C435762" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 305. Confirming access for congressional election observers.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H9C860FCC483A437FAA4C7319E83AAE7A"><enum>127.</enum><header>Use of requirements payments for post-election audits</header><subsection id="HD2B52A7E443E40DC941C4B1F2E3B76A1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Permitting use of payments for audits</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 251(b)(1) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21001">52 U.S.C. 21001(b)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>, including to conduct and publish an audit of the effectiveness and accuracy of the voting systems, nonvoting election technology (as defined in section 298C), election procedures, and outcomes used to carry out an election for Federal office in the State and the performance of the State and local election officials who carried out the election, but only if the audit meets the requirements of paragraph (4)</quote> after <quote>requirements of title III</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H70B407519312492CAEE283A0B214ECFA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements for audits</header><text>Section 251(b) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21001">52 U.S.C. 21001(b)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF50061EE03FC468E82427A3D76DB2953" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HD01BC6F372744DAFAF480909221CF5B2"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Requirements for audits conducted with requirements payments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An audit described in paragraph (1) meets the requirements of this paragraph if—</text><subparagraph id="H0F67347188804249BDF11A5B4B1C2339"><enum>(A)</enum><text>no individual who participates in conducting the audit is an employee or contractor of an office of the State or local government which is responsible for the administration of elections for Federal office or of a subsidiary or affiliate of such an office; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H47B68EF45B1945FE892D69C3A7C8DA18"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the audit includes an examination of compliance with established processes for voter registration, voter check-in, voting, tabulation, canvassing, post-election proceedings (such as recounts and recanvasses), and reporting of results.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HE88D2728A20141B990B5B81866CC2845"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sense of Congress regarding timing of audits</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that post-election audits of the effectiveness and accuracy of the voting systems, election procedures, and outcomes used to carry out an election for Federal office in a State and the performance of the State and local election officials who carried out the election are most effective when the audits are completed before the expiration of the period during which persons are authorized under State law to challenge the results of the election.</text></subsection></section><section id="H5F5DAF58968C455B83D72DD6A68B7F4D"><enum>128.</enum><header>Increase in threshold for requiring information reporting with respect to certain payees</header><subsection id="HF3C45D16DACB452489387CAAB5FF6FAF" display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Sections 6041(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking <quote>$600</quote> and inserting <quote>$5,000</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H0A0C1FCB3F154C56BE5D8C53D8557668" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Inflation adjustment</header><text>Section 6041 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block id="H23CB003D6EAE4471960C7FB09BA7D6C9" style="OLC" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HD004FB2FAE594792ADC65FF91508982D" commented="no"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Inflation adjustment</header><text>In the case of any calendar year after 2024, the dollar amount in subsection (a) shall be increased by an amount equal to—</text><paragraph id="HAA50547E7AB548F7B19E0244903940C0" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>such dollar amount, multiplied by</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2EEC781935A44B26A4883FE1CB0796EE" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for such calendar year, determined by substituting <quote>calendar year 2023</quote> for <quote>calendar year 2016</quote> in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection" commented="no">If any increase under the preceding sentence is not a multiple of $100, such increase shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</continuation-text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H38BABEB927FA43B1889025ECA85A595F" commented="no"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application to reporting on remuneration for services and direct sales</header><text>Section 6041A of such Code is amended—</text><paragraph id="HE3A0FB3B8B01412A8A9C46E95640772F" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)(2), by striking <quote>is $600 or more</quote> and inserting <quote>equals or exceeds the dollar amount in effect for such calendar year under section 6041(a)</quote>, and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HECF32CC725B04D89BE95A37C6E68EC3B" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking <quote>is $5,000 or more</quote> and inserting <quote>equals or exceeds the dollar amount in effect for such calendar year under section 6041(a)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF4AAD027248D496E887E8064218D0C36" commented="no"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Application to backup withholding</header><text>Section 3406(b)(6) of such Code is amended—</text><paragraph id="HA3DD49B4046A4B44988C71E2FEBCC303" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$600</quote> in subparagraph (A) and inserting <quote>the dollar amount in effect for such calendar year under section 6041(a)</quote>, and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6A9D521E3DDE4376B1F9F5BC3A723615" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">only where aggregate for calendar year is <enum-in-header>$600</enum-in-header> or more</header-in-text></quote> in the heading and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">only if in excess of threshold</header-in-text></quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HDEABB35AF38441A0B335083D502A141A" commented="no"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><paragraph id="HA98224B8251C42B58B6523B2A2DB1F4C" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The heading of section 6041(a) of such Code is amended by striking <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">of $600 or more</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="subsection" style="OLC">exceeding threshold</header-in-text></quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H12976286775D472DA3C7F6E7EBF10EED" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 6041(a) of such Code is amended by striking <quote>taxable year</quote> and inserting <quote>calendar year</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE097E96EC007401A9F0F9704982BF749"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to payments made after December 31, 2023.</text></subsection></section><section id="HD180045A96314C19986893FBA8D70546"><enum>129.</enum><header>Voluntary guidelines with respect to nonvoting election technology</header><subsection id="HBF74E8129D9F4F2FB6EA3D81779A48A2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Protect American Voters Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HCE1513A58A2C49ABAD3B1806C98E45EF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Adoption of voluntary guidelines by Election Assistance Commission</header><paragraph id="HF7067F34FEC24B189758200DED83DA8A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Adoption of guidelines</header><text>Title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20921">52 U.S.C. 20921 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subtitle:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H5304A9EC33EA4A7EA948622EAE201F57" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subtitle id="HC2B094C152C946D6874E9B6AAF58EE90"><enum>E</enum><header>Voluntary Guidelines for Use of Nonvoting Election Technology</header><section id="HA2F760E6BFFC4EA3AB820D404C63A8E7"><enum>298.</enum><header>Adoption of voluntary guidelines by Commission</header><subsection id="H8C589E438006421DB254F272696CE17C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Adoption</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall adopt voluntary guidelines for election officials on the use of nonvoting election technology, taking into account the recommendations of the Standards Board and the Local Leadership Council of the Commission under section 298A.</text></subsection><subsection id="H5353D633C7114749B331EF35A3977EAD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Review</header><text>The Commission shall review the guidelines adopted under this subtitle not less frequently than once every 4 years, and may adopt revisions to the guidelines as it considers appropriate.</text></subsection><subsection id="HD1BA7562DC73410C9BE587887C72DBAF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Process for adoption</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The adoption of the voluntary guidelines under this subtitle shall be carried out by the Commission in a manner that provides for each of the following:</text><paragraph id="HFE5A3CF3B7664F9B81BFC325B6482AD7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Publication of notice of the proposed guidelines in the Federal Register.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD41CDD47CDB24BC2A544E50D46811AB3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An opportunity for public comment on the proposed guidelines.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HED9BCC5E0007425097D2991BBAD5DF4B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>An opportunity for a public hearing on the record.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD43A599520D34F1AB3522A73F7AB8805"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Publication of the final recommendations in the Federal Register.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA4A7B88470974A6E9EE0375348A1FBEC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Deadline for initial set of guidelines</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall adopt the initial set of voluntary guidelines under this section not later than December 31, 2025.</text></subsection></section><section id="H116B3178C7E441618DD0068236A9D0ED"><enum>298A.</enum><header>Role of Standards Board and Local Leadership Council</header><subsection id="HC81CBD23AA3540958A3C9D68C457BD84"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>The Standards Board and the Local Leadership Council of the Commission shall assist the Commission in the adoption of voluntary guidelines under section 298, including by providing the Commission with recommendations on appropriate standards for the use of nonvoting election technology, including standards to ensure the security and accuracy, and promote the usability, of such technology, and by conducting a review of existing State programs with respect to the testing of nonvoting election technology.</text></subsection><subsection id="HB54B061D699649F38123B0E66CB3EFFD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sources of assistance</header><paragraph id="H6BDEC21C7019482092652F2A5AABBFFE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Certain members of Technical Guidelines Development Committee</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The following members of the Technical Guidelines Development Committee under section 221 shall assist the Standards Board and the Local Leadership Council in carrying out their duties under this section:</text><subparagraph id="HCA42CC658FFE4BD689F4AB312F3BDDD7"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H278BA74339224D749317B4B8F773A3FD"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The representative of the American National Standards Institute.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9E2C5330E2364B9FA5A7DB5C91C85F86"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The representative of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H558D33BC671B45BBAD7897FB829896FE"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The 4 members of the Technical Guidelines Development Committee appointed under subsection (c)(1)(E) of such section as the other individuals with technical and scientific expertise relating to voting systems and voting equipment.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HAC7D478D2CE64738B09B230C773F162D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Detailee from CISA</header><text>The Executive Board of the Standards Board may request the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security to provide a detailee to assist the Standards Board in carrying out its duties under this section, so long as such detailee has no involvement in the drafting of any of the voluntary guidelines.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HCFE0D23EB8884B88953F06F5B1B35C42"><enum>298B.</enum><header>Use of payments to obtain or upgrade technology</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">A State may use funds provided under any law for activities to improve the administration of elections for Federal office, including to enhance election technology and make election security improvements, to obtain nonvoting election technology which is in compliance with the voluntary guidelines adopted under section 298 or to upgrade nonvoting election technology so that the technology is in compliance with such guidelines, and may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, use any unobligated grant funding provided to the State by the Election Assistance Commission from amounts appropriated under the heading <quote>Independent Agencies—Election Assistance Commission—Election Security Grants</quote> in title V of division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/116/93">Public Law 116–93</external-xref>) for the purposes of enhancing election technology and making election security improvements until December 31, 2024.</text></section><section id="H4463014995EB43008B067D600B68B131"><enum>298C.</enum><header>Nonvoting election technology defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this subtitle, the term <term>nonvoting election technology</term> means technology used in the administration of elections for Federal office which is not used directly in the casting, counting, tabulating, or collecting of ballots or votes, including each of the following:</text><paragraph id="H4181ED7FAA524D22B65C8E5274246339"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Electronic pollbooks or other systems used to check in voters at a polling place or verify a voter’s identification.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6D60CFD62B0B4FEB8116EF40E99BD775"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Election result reporting systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1781BA5033764D5FBA9AB81CDEAE608F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Electronic ballot delivery systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1B93349F3C7148E686A6F5F8C78C32C2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Online voter registration systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC886BFB0D3894955A76A2335BA09069F"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Polling place location search systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1E5E184CEF3645C88031A5E73376D67C"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Sample ballot portals.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3FFBE26432CC41BB82FA4ECF4C490539"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Signature systems.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9BA1C0EB63C74CEFB1E0E96CE260E7A4"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Such other technology as may be recommended for treatment as nonvoting election technology as the Standards Board may recommend.</text></paragraph></section></subtitle><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HFDD74A3161C648ABB1C1F553356994B2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title II the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H193022ECFE094FD0A52DEAF7A5E37593" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="subtitle">Subtitle E—Voluntary Guidelines for Use of Nonvoting Election Technology </toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 298. Adoption of voluntary guidelines by Commission. </toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 298A. Role of Standards Board and Local Leadership Council. </toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 298B. Use of payments to obtain or upgrade technology.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 298C. Nonvoting election technology defined.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H484C556C27A6409AADE4CD26C745938E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Treatment of technology used in most recent election</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any nonvoting election technology, as defined in section 298C of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (as added by subsection (a)(1)), which a State used in the most recent election for Federal office held in the State prior to the date of the enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be in compliance with the voluntary guidelines on the use of such technology which are adopted by the Election Assistance Commission under section 298 of such Act (as added by subsection (a)(1)).</text></subsection></section><section id="H54C9C4E6A3D94D158234450F70F35536" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>130.</enum><header>Status reports by National Institute of Standards and Technology</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 231 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20971">52 U.S.C. 20971</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HBF00E6BAF08B4AC08E8F3B505A500E3D" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HF3AF744E395F4B649C5D0AD246BFE71F"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Status reports by National Institute of Standards and Technology</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year (beginning with 2025), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall submit to Congress a status report describing—</text><paragraph id="H7E7BD2AAE74345B9A7099C8D41E9D50A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the extent to which the Director carried out the Director’s responsibilities under this Act during the fiscal year, including the responsibilities imposed under this section and the responsibilities imposed with respect to the Technical Guidelines Development Committee under section 222, together with the Director’s best estimate of when the Director will completely carry out any responsibility which was not carried out completely during the fiscal year; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H264629447D7641318C03901F70054156"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the extent to which the Director carried out any projects requested by the Commission during the fiscal year, together with the Director’s best estimate of when the Director will complete any such project which the Director did not complete during the fiscal year.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="H5A1885ED167D4C27AEC51BE2EC25201F"><enum>131.</enum><header>501(<enum-in-header>c</enum-in-header>)(3) organizations prohibited from providing direct or indirect funding for election administration</header><subsection id="H2A0A229972C84ADA8DB45409EAA46646"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote><short-title>End Zuckerbucks Act of 2023</short-title></quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HF5219D4B1B6F4D2A8918D142E9BECE6B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">Section 501(c)(3)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><paragraph id="H18F9DDFD78D14955BDF04EAD3E0B6623"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and which does not participate</quote> and inserting <quote>which does not participate</quote>, and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7A0AD7BC63DC41E8AE9E457CFB4EF09C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>and which does not provide direct funding to any State or unit of local government for the purpose of the administration of elections for public office or any funding to any State or unit of local government in a case in which it is reasonable to expect such funding will be used for the purpose of the administration of elections for public office (except with respect to the donation of space to a State or unit of local government to be used as a polling place in an election for public office).</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6E22A03B60C944028EE0E28603E95289"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in the amendments made by subsection (b) shall be construed to prevent a house of worship, community center, or similar facility from serving as a polling place in an election for public office.</text></subsection><subsection id="HD41BC559A4A144D68A3CD05B4A4D421C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to funding provided in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. </text></subsection></section><section id="H10CAEBCAD63949DDB97E148A890EB1D6"><enum>132.</enum><header>Federal agency involvement in voter registration activities</header><subsection id="H6974EBF397EC42529A537C41FF879CE8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act</short-title> of 2023</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H90953AB71A6C40D8AF090767985F1D19"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clarification of Federal agency involvement in voter registration activities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Executive Order 14019 (86 Fed. Reg. 13623; relating to promoting access to voting) shall have no force or effect, and any contract or arrangement entered into by an agency to carry out activities pursuant to sections 3 and 4 of such Executive Order shall be abrogated.</text></subsection><subsection id="HFA07132FE7AD4026A700A3BB2AD288DF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Agreements with nongovernmental organizations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">None of the funds made available for the salaries and expenses of an agency may be used to solicit or enter into an agreement with a nongovernmental organization to conduct voter registration or voter mobilization activities, including registering voters or providing any person with voter registration materials, absentee or vote-by-mail ballot applications, voting instructions, or candidate-related information, on the property or website of the agency. </text></subsection><subsection id="HA26CC2FE526C431BA04C3EFB1A7B5411"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report on prior voter registration and mobilization activities</header><text>Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each agency shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing the activities carried out by the agency pursuant to sections 3 and 4 of Executive Order 14019 (86 Fed. Reg. 13623).</text></subsection><subsection id="H2CEFC283449C42B0AE3CA825F4811E65"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Prohibiting voter registration and mobilization in Federal work-study programs</header><text>Section 443(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/1087-53">20 U.S.C. 1087–53(b)(1)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H6184FA0E7AC14423A545A7AE060CE36B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>and</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H710F5B3D1B024A4DBAB2EA35053F799E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB89F9DF4CC05406293B7AAF534205753"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7F9FA495E3A74A00A1D854311F535C1E" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HF20CD5D524CF42139C8544D18FC212CF"><enum>(D)</enum><text>does not involve registering or mobilizing voters on or off the campus of the institution; and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3DDD23E630DC48AA803A9AD8DF503F8C"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="H8212B11EDCF54C4DA437E04D6AF02C89"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>agency</term> has the meaning given the term in section 3502(1) of title 44, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H531D67BB5A934B7BA964DB61B8EC4591"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Appropriate congressional committees</header><text>The term <term>appropriate congressional committees</term> means—</text><subparagraph id="H338204057DCC4D4EB76B1D4D93D0DBFC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD5D0E303B7454723B4C99BA7383ED141"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H08139C8187B348AC96B47105253CEEFD"><enum>(C)</enum><text>the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDCB2D676AFC843BCBF3FD1E7A3FEAF98"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA3FAFAFAC3DC49EC8FB93996FDFF24CD"><enum>133.</enum><header>Prohibition on use of Federal funds for election administration in States that permit ballot harvesting</header><subsection id="H3738AA5B59954F839E0956F3A8D1612B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text>This section may be cited as the <quote>No Federal Funds for Ballot Harvesting Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HAF59B6647A0B4A0A9CB17031BC85A59B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds that—</text><paragraph id="H8AC9A48ADF3649FBA302C8F6F233D87B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the right to vote is a fundamental right of citizens of the United States, as described by the Constitution of the United States;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H71D05C078AE34FCBB3A2CB929EE70BF7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives, which is charged with investigating election irregularities, received reports through its official Election Observer Program for the 2018 general election and the 2020 general election, as well as from other stakeholders, that individuals other than voters themselves were depositing large amounts of absentee ballots at polling places throughout California and other States, a practice colloquially known as “ballot harvesting”;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3152504689D64231A1F0AD30AD15ADFB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the practice of ballot harvesting creates significant vulnerabilities in the chain-of-custody of ballots because individuals collecting ballots are not required to be registered voters and are not required to identify themselves at a voter’s home, and the State does not track how many ballots are harvested in an election;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF8CCE180BC32431A94F44491B1273E85"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in North Carolina, a congressional election was invalidated due to fraud associated with ballot harvesting committed by a political operative, and it is unlikely such activity would have been detected were it not for the prohibition against ballot harvesting in the State;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H692E52BF1CBF4FF8992AAC7529746DE7"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">ballot harvesting invites electioneering activity at home and weakens States’ long-standing voter protection procedures, which remain in place at polling locations, creating the possibility of undue influence over voters by political operatives and other bad actors; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6149A81B4C40425AA9B62203ABD2F6A2"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed State authority to restrict ballot harvesting (<italic>Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee</italic>, 141 S. Ct. 2321 (2021)).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H15AAE9B918AA4FFEB9AC63685CB4D840" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Prohibition on Federal funds for election administration for States allowing collection and transmission of ballots by certain third parties</header><paragraph id="H3FD00057B4894BF6984C5F9D7C53A3A7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20901">52 U.S.C. 20901 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H09652172ED2940BBBCB95AF3DDDE3F12" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="H6B27873A36A34DE580C89AE8A1C6E6F1"><enum>908.</enum><header>Prohibition on Federal funds for election administration for States allowing collection and transmission of ballots by certain third parties</header><subsection id="HA63A5C36C17A438F9120B9A4AC5F7EF4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be used to administer any election for Federal office in a State unless the State has in effect a law that prohibits an individual from the knowing collection and transmission of a ballot in an election for Federal office that was mailed to another person, other than an individual described as follows:</text><paragraph id="HEE94BECFE0944755B74E7A136498B181"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An election official while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H99837BF3EF96401FBC5147AE85C7198C"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee of the United States Postal Service or other commercial common carrier engaged in similar activities while engaged in duties authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H09A6EA9C23E142A2BDC96FDC98088F19"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any other individual who is allowed by law to collect and transmit United States mail, while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H634D57BB50A94B22A6376C0912404255"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A family member, household member, or caregiver of the person to whom the ballot was mailed.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF5398EF77D88434F875E34004217BC06" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For purposes of this section, with respect to a person to whom the ballot was mailed:</text><paragraph id="H0F84A5EECBEA4BF68952D89E3841F075"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>caregiver</term> means an individual who provides medical or health care assistance to such person in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility, or adult foster care home, except that such term does not include an individual who is an employee of the residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility, or adult foster care home in which the individual provides such assistance to such person.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF655C45971B34F41A33A7EC948137EAE"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>family member</term> means an individual who is related to such person by blood, marriage, adoption or legal guardianship.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBBAEB660A14D437C97FBE9A93633D77C"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>household member</term> means an individual who resides at the same residence as such person.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H98B778DFCC0D4E35A9275C3D40113672"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF751D6EBBD1144CA8D3001CB49715A6A" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 908. Prohibition on Federal funds for election administration for States allowing collection and transmission of ballots by certain third parties.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HC3321DE3E49441468FF032CAAB32157A"><enum>134.</enum><header>Clarification with respect to Federal election record-keeping requirement</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 301 of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20701">52 U.S.C. 20701</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HC108B26DB2EA4434816764E74AFC5548"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>including records and papers of envelopes used to deliver voted ballots by mail and scanned, electronically preserved records of envelopes used to deliver blank ballots or absentee ballot requests or used for any purpose other than delivering voted ballots, ballots, ballot images, chain of custody records, cast vote records, logic and accuracy test results and equipment certification, and other materials related to the Federal election that would be essential for conducting a post-election audit</quote> after <quote>requisite to voting in such election,</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0BA06725B3EF410CA010D972C7EDCEB6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after <quote>shall devolve upon such custodian.</quote> the following: <quote>Such records and papers shall be considered public records available for reasonable public inspection, including at a minimum, as defined the law of the State in which the election is held, the candidates appearing on the ballot in the election, political parties whose candidates appeared on the ballot in the election, and any individuals authorized to observe the election.</quote></text></paragraph></section><section id="HD97554C6D7C748FCBD2776AA2E66E8B1"><enum>135.</enum><header>Clarification of rules with respect to hiring of election workers</header><subsection id="H0B92E64063A34FD0B9C0ACB1693F6256"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Election Worker Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H0147891EB314458F867FEE1826F2EBBF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Preferences for veterans and individuals with disabilities</header><paragraph id="H2013D380CC0B495791DEA3A33349B2C2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Preferences</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In hiring election workers to administer an election in a State or local jurisdiction, the State or local jurisdiction may give preference to individuals who are veterans or individuals with a disability.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD2F8C83D9B524F9493EC63157D3E8AE1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusion of information in Election Assistance Commission clearinghouse</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Federal Election Commission shall include in any clearinghouse it maintains of procedures adopted by States with respect to the administration of Federal elections information on the procedures under which States hire individuals who are veterans or individuals with a disability as election workers, as described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0AA85CA4004B4C768D6DD84E78795FDC" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Individual with a disability defined</header><text>In this subsection, the term <quote>individual with a disability</quote> has the meaning given such term in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12101">42 U.S.C. 12101</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5184729C315E46B385C5A84000566A46"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Preference and waiver of residency requirement for spouses and dependents of absent military voters</header><paragraph id="H0CF966890F1B4BBD8A769C1612FF43B5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that, in hiring election workers to administer an election in a State or local jurisdiction, the State or local jurisdiction—</text><subparagraph id="H311F98CE45DC49148260ADCBD7B95C5A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>should give preference to an individual who is a nonresident military spouse or dependent; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA1A6EA623602403094DEFF28E8F7ED2B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>should not refuse to hire such an individual as an election worker solely on the grounds that the individual does not maintain a place of residence in the State or local jurisdiction.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H141F920779AD46A79845480F3F6BC27F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusion of information in Election Assistance Commission clearinghouse</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Federal Election Commission shall include in any clearinghouse it maintains of procedures adopted by States with respect to the administration of Federal elections information on the procedures under which States hire nonresident military spouses or dependents as election workers, as described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0F424DBA90964FCDB5722704B4F6C305"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Nonresident military spouse or dependent defined</header><text>In this subsection, a <quote>nonresident military spouse or dependent</quote> means an individual who is an absent uniformed services voter under section 107(1)(C) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20310">52 U.S.C. 20310(1)(C)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA73557F54303453A8F63615334F5F7B8"><enum>136.</enum><header>State assistance in assigning mailing addresses with respect to Tribal Governments</header><subsection id="H6267AB963FAC4489AA1C9A7C58838FBA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Mailing Addresses on Indian Lands Act</quote> or the <quote>MAIL Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H62BA0D40A3CE4FD9A1A23DEA1D012460"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Upon request from a Tribal Government, the appropriate State executives of the State concerned shall assist the Tribal Government to assign a mailing address to each home and residence of the Tribal Government in the State that does not have a mailing address assigned to such home or residence and shall ensure that the State records include any such mailing address assigned and any mailing address previously assigned by such Tribal Government. </text></subsection><subsection id="H919E0B7DD36D42DD90056D1FCC5F0EAC"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="H675B1AE135CB479AADBFFE559F348B0C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Indian</header><text>The term <term>Indian</term> has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5304">25 U.S.C. 5304</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H08AC959FB6A245F2A0826EBD7146BAC7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Indian tribe</header><text>The term <term>Indian Tribe</term> has the meaning given the term <term>Indian tribe</term> in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5304">25 U.S.C. 5304</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H581DCDA03202472AA98ACFAD394D25F2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>State</header><text>The term <term>State</term> has the meaning given such term in section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6527A191029C47B98AB3A620EBA8B537"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Tribal government</header><text>The term <term>Tribal Government</term> means the recognized governing body of an Indian Tribe.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HEA849DD54F404FE0933ECE576E93A3F8"><enum>137.</enum><header>State defined</header><subsection id="HFBC72D36B79947B1A1993BAAC098E582"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Northern Mariana Islands Inclusion Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H79EA6EB7818748DAA0E5EFDE7D815942"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application to Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>and the United States Virgin Islands</quote> and inserting <quote>the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7A4CF99179C24CA89E649935B8081A39"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><text>Such Act is further amended as follows:</text><paragraph id="HD0BCB94B58E445798504DCFE61BF5C59"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The second sentence of section 213(a)(2) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20943">52 U.S.C. 20943(a)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>and American Samoa</quote> and inserting <quote>American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</quote>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8233B8F63DDE4009A6D6BB0D69D6BB11"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 252(c)(2) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21002">52 U.S.C. 21002(c)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>or the United States Virgin Islands</quote> and inserting <quote>the United States Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HE2E6EB501B4B4228886072587DDDBC75" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>138.</enum><header>Voter registration for applicants without driver’s license or social security number</header><subsection id="HBC7918D78FB548958792B7821010B602"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 303(a)(5)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21083">52 U.S.C. 21083(a)(5)(A)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HD41CB4224B034755B5F56EA642AF85B3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in clause (i), by striking <quote>Except as provided in clause (ii), notwithstanding any other provision of law, an application</quote> and inserting <quote>An application</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC768D98CB98B4F7FA7C083FA224FB1C2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in clause (i)(II), by striking <quote> (other than an applicant to whom clause (ii) applies)</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE9173B0D14584880880CCC8FD71563EE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by amending clause (ii) to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H85EAA82029DE4ED48C60AF6C21181767" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="HED71165B05A840BF951AF46F88954AF3"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Special rule for applicants without driver’s license or social security number</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If an applicant for voter registration for an election for Federal office has not been issued a current and valid driver’s license or a social security number, the State shall assign the applicant a temporary number which shall be valid to identify the applicant for the purposes of voter registration only during the period that begins on the date the temporary number is assigned and ends 30 days after the date that the applicant receives a current and valid driver’s license or a social security number. If the applicant fails to provide a driver’s license number or the last 4 digits of the social security number (as the case may be) to the State during the 30-day period that begins on the date the applicant receives such driver’s license or social security number, the applicant’s application for voter registration with respect to which the temporary number was assigned may not be accepted or processed by the State. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HC91110D61CD6461A8C539E0308B56BEB"><enum>139.</enum><header>GAO study on domestic manufacturing and assembly of voting equipment</header><subsection id="H8A8B876CED794CEC9BF7C02B6A070A59"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Study required</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study on the feasability and requirements for all voting equipment used in elections for Federal office to be manufactured and assembled in the United States, which shall include an assessment of the importance of maintaining a secure supply chain for such voting equipment. </text></subsection><subsection id="H63BDC811ECF34B2083F31CC3169002D7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Submittal</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report containing the results of the study carried out under subsection (a) to—</text><paragraph id="H937AA95849CB4B72B0E14707DC776F3B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the appropriate congressional committees;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H93B1760C85AD405DB6350DD44D545A35"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the chief State election official of each State;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3912E0F8CB3E4921BB94D6BBBAB8D072"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Election Assistance Commission; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA059DC96EFDC414EB8C1A704B2C84CA6"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the National Institute of Standards and Technology.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H097D0C7617234FDA88BF7903CBE1B6A7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that it is in the national interest of the United States that equipment used for voting in American elections be developed, programmed, manufactured, and assembled within the United States under the authority of United States persons.</text></subsection></section><section id="H6A489EA0C62E4A0B8E05EB905E3146D6"><enum>139A.</enum><header>GAO study and report on ability of States to comply with certain special election requirements</header><subsection id="H1DEAAAD6855D41B697B84C330A447B3C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Study</header><paragraph id="H78797F7492454883BF4EB7EEA4E165B6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the ability of States to comply with the requirements for filling a vacancy in the State’s representation in the House of Representatives by special election in extraordinary circumstances pursuant to section 26 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/8">2 U.S.C. 8</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB367EDBBF2224AE4A361845B8009149D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text>In conducting the study under this subsection, the Comptroller General shall—</text><subparagraph id="H6B61D66CD8D14AA3BF64723C519EA10C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>consult and work cooperatively with all States and shall not rely on sample information relating to a limited number of States; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBD70152117DF489D991E194DF8C3E7D8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>consult with the Election Assistance Commission.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA73ED26E6DFA4BF8A25288F105F84168"><enum>(3)</enum><header>State defined</header><text>In this subsection, the term <quote>State</quote> means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA324E9E4549E43D5935195DE6FADE33C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a), and shall include in the report such recommendations as the Comptroller General considers appropriate.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H8360D2E6DCF742779CBEB9E200BBBF62"><enum>D</enum><header>District of Columbia Election Integrity and Voter Confidence</header><section id="H0420BCE920D94227A899248B383B4A82"><enum>141.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This subtitle may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Election Integrity and Voter Confidence Act</quote>.</text></section><section id="H1EE28E88A7A445AD921ACDA9F2C13FF0"><enum>142.</enum><header>Statement of congressional authority; findings</header><subsection id="HA115C487875F462D98DDDD033651D84C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Statement of congressional authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds that it has the authority to establish the terms and conditions for the administration of elections for public office in the District of Columbia—</text><paragraph id="HDFEF982605054B1CB31D34D458B400E6"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 17 of the Constitution of the United States, which grants Congress the exclusive power to enact legislation with respect to the seat of the government of the United States; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF7BEC1FCCCEC40CEA79165ADCF7E5A50"><enum>(2)</enum><text>with recognition of the Residence Act of 1790, which Congress passed pursuant to the above authority and which established the City of Washington in the District of Columbia as the seat of the government of the United States;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H12ABA5417E2B41F3AC7AD88EFE6FC23D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 18 of the Constitution of the United States, which grants Congress the authority to <quote>make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution</quote> its enumerated powers; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA9F53011BC944091B15087F2C4C79EBE"><enum>(4)</enum><text>under other enumerated powers granted to Congress.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0D79B2EE586E4395BF30DD67B443F275"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H77D0B17BAA08447C8BB4C986B883292F"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Voter identification requirements in the District of Columbia are some of the weakest in the country. Currently, voters in the District of Columbia are required only to provide proof of residence the first time they vote and are never asked to provide anything again. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3D3FD40CD08E434FB5573CA346D18680"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In the 2012 general election, the District of Columbia was wholly unprepared for early voters. Several polling locations featured only one or two voting machines. As a result, some voters waited in line for hours while others waited for hours only to be turned away as the polls closed. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE80C8DBA8E0B4D4794AE6A3CA5275C24"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Following the 2012 general election, the executive director of the D.C. Board of Elections testified that missteps had taken place during the election. Voters complained that some precincts were not accessible for the disabled, while poorly trained employees ran sites elsewhere in the District. In other cases, voters were provided with ballots that were not correct for their addresses, allowing them to vote in races in other wards.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA5B3623F24BB4CDBB212F1EC66EC0E71"><enum>(4)</enum><text>In the District of Columbia’s 2014 April Democratic primary, voters had to wait several hours after polls closed before receiving meaningful election returns because of problems with voting machines that led to an unusually lengthy and chaotic tabulation process.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8A7C666A6E064C8C8DCB4C0179C774D9"><enum>(5)</enum><text>In the aftermath of that primary, while the District of Columbia originally blamed a handful of voting machines for late election results, the executive director later clarified that the issue came from a broad computer network failure. As a result, on election night, ballots did not begin to be counted until 10:00 p.m. The executive director said <quote>on election night, polling officials never really did determine the problem...</quote>All this occurred despite record low turnout for the primary.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3B9670087B0649A8B6722F5CEC523BB7"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Before the 2014 midterm election, the executive director stated that he hoped that ballot counting would be done before midnight but could not offer any promises based on the District of Columbia’s previous history.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6868486BC08F4C7D9D3116D46F971AF6"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Following the 2014 midterm election, the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor performed an audit of the election and found the following:</text><subparagraph id="H7A148FF4FBBA49E8BD4B5B7445F6F1C3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>23 of 89 precincts visited did not have the minimum number of poll workers designated in city election procedures. In total, 168 workers did not come to work as scheduled, and others that were not trained to perform certain functions had to take on new jobs. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H64CCD1F3066747D29B7067378C1409B5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>37 of the 89 precincts inspected featured polling places not fully accessible to disabled voters. Some issues included missing or inoperable doorbells to alert poll workers that a wheelchair-bound voter needed assistance, as well as a lack of accessible parking spaces and entrances.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HACF4043ABE9F4EBDBF6D8811982C5474"><enum>(C)</enum><text>57 of the 89 precincts featured election and non-election equipment issues affecting a wide range of the Election Day technology — including paper ballot readers, electronic poll books and touch-screen voting machines.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5DD71A79B53942CB8167801F9EDB6A8C"><enum>(8)</enum><text>In 2016, the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor released a report titled <quote>The District of Columbia Voter File: Compliance with Law and Best Practices</quote>, which included the following:</text><subparagraph id="H6731F90B58E84C339B7BDCD652D69B59"><enum>(A)</enum><text>In 2015, the Board of Elections, as required under District law, sent out written notices to 260,000 inactive voters through the U.S. Postal Service in an attempt to maintain accurate voter registration rolls. 38,179, or almost 15 percent of those postcards, were returned as undeliverable.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H90E71E5DEAB348F0A5A15DAA48BA7BF3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Office of the Auditor took a sample of thirty-three decedents who had died between January of 2011 and December of 2014. The audit found that all of the thirty-three decedents were still on the District’s voter registration rolls.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0A40CA98417D43DB8177D0F62468AB67"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The District of Columbia is a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). According to ERIC, 13,651 voters were registered in the District of Columbia and another jurisdiction. The D.C. Board of Elections contacted every voter with a duplicate registration. 6,000 voters confirmed they now resided outside the District of Columbia and the other 7,651 or 56 percent of voters with a duplicate registration did not respond.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H31D12B6C06ED4C0BA4552E1D963C1E0B"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The District of Columbia allows for same-day registration and automatic voter registration. In 2018, the District of Columbia implemented an Automatic Voter Registration program through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Now, any DMV application automatically serves as an application to register to vote or update registration records, unless the applicant affirmatively opts out of this registration option.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H353680AD2CAC4760A7AB6CC3C0E3F228"><enum>(10)</enum><text>In 2020, voting in the District of Columbia for the June primary election was fraught with problems. Some voters waited in line for hours, and thousands of voters who requested absentee mail-in ballots never received them. As a result, the District of Columbia allowed voters that never received their absentee ballot to cast their ballots via unsecured email. During the Committee on House Administration and Committee on Oversight and Accountability joint hearing titled <quote>American Confidence in Elections: The Path to Election Integrity in the District of Columbia</quote>, witnesses called by Republicans and Democrats both agreed that casting a ballot via unsecured email raised serious security and voter identification concerns.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H174BA6036C15462F80E659909BEF21C6"><enum>(11)</enum><text>In 2020, the District of Columbia Board of Elections mailed every registered voter a ballot for the general election. Voters were still permitted to vote in-person. The Board mailed 421,791 ballots, and 48,018 of them were undeliverable, more than eleven percent. This is a rate more than eight times higher than the national average. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC8D16D02D51F489CA0E68C85F34BE1BF"><enum>(12)</enum><text>Even after mailing every registered voter a ballot in the 2020 general election, the District of Columbia had lower voter turnout rates than States like Florida, Ohio, and Georgia. In 2020, the District of Columbia reported a roughly 64 percent turnout while Florida reported 77 percent, Ohio reported roughly 74 percent, and Georgia reported 66 percent. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAE7228747EAE44CCB16C4E033316A665"><enum>(13)</enum><text>In 2022, the District of Columbia Board of Elections mailed every registered voter a ballot for the midterm primary election. Voters were still allowed to vote in person. The Board mailed 402,323 ballots, and 65,398 ballots, or about 16 percent, were undeliverable. This is an increase of 17,380 in undeliverable ballots between the 2020 general election and the 2022 primary election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4DA3871D01CA453584EA81133E1E68E3"><enum>(14)</enum><text>In 2022, the District of Columbia Board of Elections mailed every registered voter a ballot for the November general election. Voters were still allowed to vote in person. The Board mailed 508,543 ballots, and 87,921 were undeliverable. The rate of undeliverable ballots mailed out for the general election in 2022 was 17 percent, an increase of about six basis points from the 2020 election. In addition, the District of Columbia mailed over 500 voters an incorrect ballot. At the time of the 2022 election, the COVID–19 pandemic was largely over, allowing voters to vote in person without issue, unlike during the 2020 election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6EB51E5B370E4F2EA3CBB7DE2C952386"><enum>(15)</enum><text>Despite mailing every registered voter a ballot in the 2022 midterm election, the District of Columbia had far lower voter turnout rates than States like Florida, Georgia, and Ohio. In 2022, the District of Columbia reported roughly 40 percent turnout while Florida reported 54 percent, Ohio reported 52 percent, and Georgia reported roughly 57 percent.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H41BEE0AD1A89498AAFD3D0560D9F0B04"><enum>(16)</enum><text>The Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 allows noncitizen green-card holders and illegal aliens to cast a ballot in local races, as long as the non-citizen voter is at least eighteen years of age and has resided in the District of Columbia for thirty days. The law will take effect in 2024. Estimates as to the number of non-citizens of voting age living in the District of Columbia range from 21,000 to 42,000, potentially half of whom are illegal aliens. Even according to the low estimates, there are more than enough non-citizens of voting age living in the District of Columbia to impact election outcomes in some wards. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H110D113AAA8B4411B05E7D475E3944C1"><enum>(17)</enum><text>On February 9, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 260 to 162, passed H.J. Res. 24, disapproving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. </text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HBDD65B304FBC4F009AB8A8FC41827909" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>143.</enum><header>Requirements for elections in District of Columbia</header><subsection id="HE06AF6185A02405FB46BFC04A0C98E27"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requirements described</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21801">52 U.S.C. 21801 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subtitle:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H3A284254EDF1403D9400DC3703CEFB29" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subtitle id="HB89A475D30294984ABAB3D69BF643741"><enum>C</enum><header>Requirements for Elections in District of Columbia</header><section id="HA58ECC6C2D3E42D79A2E361915BBC3E7" commented="no"><enum>321.</enum><header>Statement of congressional authority; findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds that it has the authority to establish the terms and conditions for the administration of elections for public office in the District of Columbia—</text><paragraph id="HDE641E3B7A784D86B12244024BE13D1B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 17 of the Constitution of the United States, which grants Congress the exclusive power to enact legislation with respect to the seat of the government of the United States; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H344D998483E64C9082672605CD98CB7D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>with recognition of the Residence Act of 1790, which Congress passed pursuant to the above authority and which established the City of Washington in the District of Columbia as the seat of the government of the United States;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H31FA710D3FF84DA78FEA55E546A5C50C"><enum>(3)</enum><text>pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 18 of the Constitution of the United States, which grants Congress the authority to <quote>make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution</quote> its enumerated powers; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H41B37408BF374AD2849E80DD7D4B984C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>under other enumerated powers granted to Congress.</text></paragraph></section><section id="HA2B1F6625DAE43C3A51A1D18249CC4D1"><enum>322.</enum><header>Requirements for photo identification</header><subsection id="H830FAE3A09F4427B9BB2ABEFBC6131AC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Voter Identification Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H8EF944BEB86D4A4F8417FDC3A724CA01"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requiring provision of identification to receive a ballot or vote</header><paragraph id="H068D16C21F5F4EEAADFEF6738F7F4577"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Individuals voting in person</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A District of Columbia election official may not provide a ballot for a District of Columbia election to an individual who desires to vote in person unless the individual presents to the official an identification described in paragraph (3).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6B0BA4F36E1846ED9704D3A32444764B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Individuals voting other than in person</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A District of Columbia election official may not provide a ballot for a District of Columbia election to an individual who desires to vote other than in person unless the individual submits with the application for the ballot a copy of an identification described in paragraph (3).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8D86FC6DE695405C89958BF64DC430CE"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Identification described</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An identification described in this paragraph is, with respect to an individual, any of the following:</text><subparagraph id="HBBCBD368365246E2AFF1EF58AEC8F3B8"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A current and valid motor vehicle license issued by the District of Columbia or any other current and valid photo identification of the individual which is issued by the District of Columbia or the identification number for such motor vehicle license or photo identification. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H161FA520B0CA4009868F048CDA8B868E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>A current and valid United States passport, a current and valid military photo identification, or any other current and valid photo identification of the individual which is issued by the Federal Government.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9A29F5A7488C40869361CBA7E78A7FBB"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Any current and valid photo identification of the individual which is issued by a Tribal Government.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H65D8F41C3AD84B8B9BD10206192F9286"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A student photo identification issued by a secondary school (as such term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/7801">20 U.S.C. 7801</external-xref>)) or an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/1001">20 U.S.C. 1001</external-xref>)).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7FB321149EB04317BF46460B72632ACC"><enum>(E)</enum><text>The last 4 digits of the individual's social security number.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE1E3C4CA9FDD4B5787BFC507B3989598"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Ensuring proof of residence</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If an individual presents or submits an identification described in paragraph (3) which does not include the address of the individual’s residence, the District of Columbia election official may not provide a ballot to the individual unless the individual presents or submits a document or other written information from a third party which—</text><subparagraph id="HDC360062FCA14291BECF8FA1E14E373F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>provides the address of the individual’s residence; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H47CB5B633A7F46FA8CD6ED6D3E330B98"><enum>(B)</enum><text>such document or other written information is of sufficient validity such that the election official is reasonably certain as to the identity of the individual.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8250C01A72B143879B432BAF0B8BF103"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Provision of identification without cost to indigent individuals</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the District of Columbia charges an individual a fee for an identification described in subsection (b)(3) and the individual provides an attestation that the individual is unable to afford the fee, the District of Columbia shall provide the identification to the individual at no cost.</text></subsection><subsection id="HB43BA3B846A24E6FB88ED3EC0D8B0E2C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Special rule with respect to sincerely held religious beliefs</header><text>In the case of an individual who is unable to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) due to sincerely held religious beliefs, the District of Columbia shall provide such individual with an alternative identification that shall be deemed to meet the requirements of an identification described in subsection (b)(3).</text></subsection><subsection id="H4C140159A2724AFCB1D7D12354B96B2B"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Designation of District of Columbia agency to provide copies of identification</header><text>The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall designate an agency of the District of Columbia government to provide an individual with a copy of an identification described in subsection (b)(3) at no cost to the individual for the purposes of meeting the requirement under subsection (b)(2). </text></subsection><subsection id="H924A3545BDDE49A8B4B46AE1063E592C"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Inclusion of photos in poll books</header><paragraph id="H8DAE72CB05B74EED85DCE7D2A885A86A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This subsection may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Photographic Poll Books Act</quote>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA70699B2045A48199799C5D652B33003"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Methods for obtaining photos</header><subparagraph id="H04F95D3307D34A21A4C55C281B480988"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Provision of photos by offices of District of Columbia government</header><text>If any office of the District of Columbia government has a photograph or digital image of the likeness of an individual who is eligible to vote in a District of Columbia election, the office, in consultation with the chief election official of the District of Columbia, shall provide access to the photograph or digital image to the chief election official of the District of Columbia.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF92257D78579405C82A27691D711CEAC"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Taking of photos at polling place</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a photograph or digital image of an individual who votes in person at a polling place is not included in the poll book which contains the names of the individuals who are eligible to vote in the District of Columbia election and which is used by election officials to provide ballots to such eligible individuals, the appropriate election official shall take a photograph of the individual and provide access to the photograph to the chief election official of the District of Columbia.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H739B725E76D84402AD882F597AD073E2"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Copies of photos provided by individuals not voting in person</header><text>The election official who receives a copy of an identification described in subsection (b)(3) which is submitted by an individual who desires to vote other than in person at a polling place shall provide access to the copy of the identification to the chief election official of the District of Columbia.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC839C5429DD94887AC03AD189B737458"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Inclusion in poll books</header><text>The chief election official of the District of Columbia shall ensure that the most recently available photograph, digital image, or copy of an identification for which access is provided under paragraph (2) is included in the poll book which contains the name of the individuals who are eligible to vote in the District of Columbia election and which is used by election officials to provide ballots to such eligible individuals.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEC6C5C6877F9432387F9DAEABF2092FA"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Protection of privacy of voters</header><text>The appropriate election officials of the District of Columbia shall ensure that any photograph, digital image, or copy of an identification which is included in a poll book under this subsection is not used for any purpose other than the administration of District of Columbia elections and is not provided or otherwise made available to any other person except as may be necessary to carry out that purpose.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HDFD7BD5E8CFD4DB8A693AB0F04CB2D92"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section does not apply with respect to any individual who is—</text><paragraph id="H37776C8EC2B14670988CFF55E30D5530"><enum>(1)</enum><text>entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6C597B71B0F04B2EBFEEE5E075D4F0BC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provided the right to vote otherwise than in person under section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20102">52 U.S.C. 20102(b)(2)(B)(ii)</external-xref>); or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H112BB49106F749DBA383BFA5220A6078"><enum>(3)</enum><text>entitled to vote otherwise than in person under any other Federal law.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCA06A42AD6C8468195111173BFEEBB8F"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:</text><paragraph id="H3B25C2813BED48B49C531928146A6D88"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Indian tribe</header><text>The term <term>Indian Tribe</term> has the meaning given the term <term>Indian tribe</term> in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5304">25 U.S.C. 5304</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H653BD647B63F4DCCBE809DAD96FE88B3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Tribal government</header><text>The term <term>Tribal Government</term> means the recognized governing body of an Indian Tribe.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HAA0BD66EAE3042D2BC5BCFFB585FAE8B"><enum>323.</enum><header>Requirements for voter registration</header><subsection id="H2A26F66D44A64B858B5E9D07FD99EBDE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Voter List Maintenance Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H9F06B308BF2344529316164D25277655"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Annual list maintenance</header><paragraph id="H3BBAF4ABDE66417D9555055354B434BD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Requirements</header><subparagraph id="H8D3F7AEAE4F544C5AEEBA425B2407F08"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The District of Columbia shall carry out annually a program to remove ineligible persons from the official list of persons registered to vote in the District of Columbia, as required by section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507</external-xref>) and pursuant to the procedures described in subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H110EF455D7A04C7088A9AE5A82B6F04C"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Removal from voter rolls</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of a registrant from the official list of eligible voters in District of Columbia elections who has failed to vote in a District of Columbia election during a period of two consecutive years, the District of Columbia shall send to such registrant a notice described in section 8(d)(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20507">52 U.S.C. 20507(d)(2)</external-xref>) and shall remove the registrant from the official list of eligible voters in District of Columbia elections if—</text><clause id="H72F3B5B5718F49158FFFCD84469C0D32"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the registrant fails to respond to such notice; and</text></clause><clause id="H609702BE8DB54BCBB7D5B5450545C615"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the registrant has not voted or appeared to vote in a District of Columbia election during the period beginning the date such notice is sent and ending the later of 4 years after the date such notice is sent or after two consecutive District of Columbia general elections have been held. </text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HEC43B33D4A6E428AA3152DC104466199"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Timing</header><text>In the case of a year during which a regularly scheduled District of Columbia election is held, the District of Columbia shall carry out the program described in paragraph (1) not later than 90 days prior to the date of the election.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF304C561FB8746AAB5274FB84DB2ACCA"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Prohibiting same-day registration</header><text>The District of Columbia may not permit an individual to vote in a District of Columbia election unless, not later than 30 days prior to the date of the election, the individual is duly registered to vote in the election.</text></subsection></section><section id="HE0F8B1B1AE54481BBE884A2FC2355205"><enum>324.</enum><header>Ban on collection and transmission of ballots by certain third parties</header><subsection id="H3A977FDBA45147B2B96878FC7F45A7CD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Election Fraud Prevention Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H4EE1ED5E29FD4AE0AC43C83039D9E377"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia may not permit an individual to knowingly collect and transmit a ballot in a District of Columbia election that was mailed to another person, other than an individual described as follows:</text><paragraph id="H0138E19E8BBC4FCA84926A4D23693964"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An election official while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H60CC6DDE36A342A2BCBC79DA0715BEF8"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee of the United States Postal Service or other commercial common carrier engaged in similar activities while engaged in duties authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8A3576A7FF6B42708B324F31FC34B22D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any other individual who is allowed by law to collect and transmit United States mail, while engaged in official duties as authorized by law.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD5433B5E8C5248059D20464F727E50B1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>A family member, household member, or caregiver of the person to whom the ballot was mailed.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H28C40E38B6084B0EBDA3098E92EDD100"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For purposes of this section, with respect to a person to whom the ballot was mailed:</text><paragraph id="H4CBCA07CD34E4D128253B2F08F6F0FB3"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>caregiver</term> means an individual who provides medical or health care assistance to such person in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility, or adult foster care home, except that such term does not include an individual who is an employee of the residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility, or adult foster care home in which the individual provides such assistance to such person..</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9B28BDDA17204FD29694EBB8EF06FCC5"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>family member</term> means an individual who is related to such person by blood, marriage, adoption or legal guardianship.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF9A9439EBDCC403D814E9389EE230F8E"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>household member</term> means an individual who resides at the same residence as such person.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H959B711391844E2AB5694C05AB6FA072"><enum>325.</enum><header>Timely processing and reporting of results</header><subsection id="H1F828414E0204FE09E8C91AAE6E190B7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text>This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Timely Reporting of Election Results Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H430EBED8F35F434193C669EE270A79CB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Time for processing ballots and reporting results</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"> The District of Columbia shall begin processing ballots received by mail in a District of Columbia election as soon as such ballots are received and shall ensure that the results of such District of Columbia election are reported to the public not later than 12 hours after the closing of polls on the date of the election, but in no case shall such ballots be tabulated or such results be reported earlier than the closing of polls on the date of the election.</text></subsection><subsection id="HF192AF0F8E9A4B4CBEA6689782EB7C12"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requirement to publish number of voted ballots on election day</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia shall, as soon as practicable after the closing of polls on the date of a District of Columbia election, make available on a publicly accessible website the total number of voted ballots in the possession of election officials in the District of Columbia as of the time of the closing of polls on the date of such election, which shall include, as of such time—</text><paragraph id="H508A3ED742E1403997F8D74D8A8FC1BD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the number of voted ballots delivered by mail;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7D95D2E782D94A3C98CE7ABE243A1444"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the number of ballots requested for such election by individuals who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF6D5FC01642C4F049E536F172E18534E"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the number of voted ballots for such election received from individuals who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>), including from individuals who, under such Act, voted by absentee ballot without requesting such a ballot. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF2BE10E4A22B48F88DE93BCA70088079"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Requirements to ensure bipartisan election administration activity</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With respect to a District of Columbia election, District of Columbia election officials shall ensure that all activities are carried out in a bipartisan manner, which shall include a requirement that, in the case of an election worker who enters a room which contains ballots, voting equipment, or non voting equipment as any part of the election worker’s duties to carry out such election, the election worker is accompanied by an individual registered to vote with respect to a different political party than such election worker, as determined pursuant to the voting registration records of the District of Columbia. </text></subsection></section><section id="H12FBB37EB8CE4F919A74C04CB8F3D2B8"><enum>326.</enum><header>Ban on noncitizen voting</header><subsection id="H0616845F991C497EA766C28A2E20DEFD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text>This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Citizen Voter Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HEFCA85A50D9B4F3E8FF5529E201F7A5E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Ban on noncitizen voting</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No individual may vote in a District of Columbia election unless the individual is a citizen of the United States.</text></subsection></section><section id="HF0CEF70BB85F425892CE056B3D052E95"><enum>327.</enum><header>Requirements with respect to provisional ballots</header><subsection id="H2184B1AE93D743D5AD6DF075699A3712"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Provisional Ballot Reform Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H39E56AE5CE594FBDA46C316B9EB9B148"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in subsection (c), the District of Columbia shall permit an individual to cast a provisional ballot pursuant to section 302 if—</text><paragraph id="H69CEC7C817DE4371A49670CC59B6F240"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the individual declares that such individual is a registered voter in the District of Columbia and is eligible to vote in a District of Columbia election but the name of the individual does not appear on the official list of eligible voters for the polling place or an election official asserts that the individual is not eligible to vote; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3CDB1B49ED504219BADE9BE65AA2B647"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the individual declares that such individual is a registered voter in the District of Columbia and is eligible to vote in a District of Columbia election but does not provide an identification required under section 322, except that the individual’s provisional ballot shall not be counted in the election unless the individual provides such identification to the chief State election official of the District of Columbia not later than 5:00 pm on the second day which begins after the date of the election.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0BCF365CBA244125B1C395F38367611A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requirements with respect to counting provisional ballots in certain cases</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the name of an individual who is a registered voter in the District of Columbia and eligible to vote in a District of Columbia election appears on the official list of eligible voters for a polling place in the District of Columbia, such individual may cast a provisional ballot pursuant to section 302 for such election at a polling place other than the polling place with respect to which the name of the individual appears on the official list of eligible voters, except that the individual’s provisional ballot shall not be counted in the election unless the individual demonstrates pursuant to the requirements under section 302 that the individual is a registered voter in the jurisdiction of the polling place at which the individual cast such ballot. </text></subsection></section><section id="HB335FAE0F3004DD7A92A391E812B53C5"><enum>328.</enum><header>Mandatory post-election audits</header><subsection id="H549B993EE1A046A4AB81AC2BD157F664"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text>This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Mandatory Post-Election Audits Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HA8731A66AAE546E9A779B8E685870150"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement for post-election audits</header><paragraph id="H0445F4BA1C2D474A94DF13EBE44349E3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 30 days after each District of Columbia election, the District of Columbia shall conduct and publish an audit of the effectiveness and accuracy of the voting systems, nonvoting election technology (as defined in section 298C), election procedures, and outcomes used to carry out the election and the performance of the election officials who carried out the election, but in no case shall such audit be completed later than 2 business days before the deadline to file an election contest under the laws of the District of Columbia.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H092D07F0861B4C4E954A276A8484D10E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Independence of auditor</header><text>No individual who participates in conducting the audit required under this section may be an employee or contractor of an office of the District of Columbia which is responsible for the administration of District of Columbia elections or of a subsidiary or affiliate of such an office.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H1185F5674E7D4E4AB1D8076C2715EE7B"><enum>329.</enum><header>Public observation of election procedures</header><subsection id="H1AC2696FCB22417AB8E500E2966490F5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Public Observation of Election Procedures Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H9FF08C75D4F447DAB76C36C0D8F6B2D6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Designated representatives of candidates, political parties, and committees affiliated with ballot initiatives</header><paragraph id="H0CDCA7D500E54B47BE2037A986E6A9E5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Authority to observe procedures</header><text>An individual who is not a District of Columbia election official may observe election procedures carried out in a District of Columbia election, as described in paragraph (2), if the individual is designated to observe such procedures by a candidate in the election, a political party, or a committee affiliated with a ballot initiative or referendum in the election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3698F384A4BD4C22A841A644B7FF1D81"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Authority and procedures described</header><text>The authority of an individual to observe election procedures pursuant to this subsection is as follows:</text><subparagraph id="H4052A9778CC7474FA9639A064E4FEF88"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The individual may serve as a poll watcher to observe the casting and tabulation of ballots at a polling place on the date of the election or on any day prior to the date of the election on which ballots are cast at early voting sites, and may challenge the casting or tabulation of any such ballot.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H62437703ABFD4639BD5535934314357F"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The individual may serve as a poll watcher to observe the canvassing and processing of absentee or other mail-in ballots, including the procedures for verification of signed certificates of transmission under section 330(c)(2).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H50618CD21ECB42E2BDE942F4B64442E6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The individual may observe the recount of the results of the election at any location at which the recount is held, and may challenge the tabulation of any ballot tabulated pursuant to the recount.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5C454C638DDD4385AD62579C4A9189ED"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Provision of credentials</header><text>The chief State election official of the District of Columbia shall provide each individual who is authorized to observe election procedures under paragraph (1) with appropriate credentials to enable the individual to observe such procedures.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7DD619E0388B4D0A84F2041DEE70F98A"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Exception for candidates and law enforcement officers</header><text>An individual may not serve as a poll watcher under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2), and the chief State election official of the District of Columbia may not provide the individual with credentials to enable the individual to serve as a poll watcher under such subparagraph, if the individual is a candidate in the election or a law enforcement officer.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H66480AC371274590A2A2422E63900093"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Other individuals</header><paragraph id="H2C2A4F6C4D7540CDA6E5E14C6861B872"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Petition for observer credentials</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In addition to the individuals described in subsection (b), any individual, including an individual representing or affiliated with a domestic or international organization, may petition the chief State election official of the District of Columbia to provide the individual with credentials to observe election procedures carried out in a District of Columbia election, as described in subsection (b).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7B2C256223754E7AB65FF283517B7B89"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Authority described</header><text>If the chief State election official provides an individual with credentials under paragraph (1), the individual shall have the same authority to observe election procedures carried out in the election as an individual described in subsection (b), except that the individual may not challenge the casting, tabulation, canvassing, or processing of any ballot in the election.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0F79B50AD9064776ABB448D59996CEA1"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Exception for candidates and law enforcement officers</header><text>The chief State election official of the District of Columbia may not provide an individual who is a candidate in the election or a law enforcement officer with credentials to serve as a poll watcher, as described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (b)(2).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD935184D50B74D37942EC5C3C539B5B9"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authority of members of public to observe testing of equipment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In addition to the authority of individuals to observe procedures under subsections (b) and (c), any member of the public may observe the testing of election equipment by election officials prior to the date of the election. </text></subsection><subsection id="HDF6AC7C8E1CE45E6A3A343DCA10F5669"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Prohibiting limits on ability to view procedures</header><text>An election official may not obstruct the ability of an individual who is authorized to observe an election procedure under this section to view the procedure as it is being carried out.</text></subsection><subsection id="HCC24442DC4BD4634B2A6D59F5C1E677C"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Prohibition against certain restrictions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An election official may not require that an individual who observes election procedures under this section stays more than 3 feet away from the procedure as it is being carried out.</text></subsection></section><section id="H56E2B2F87B2243C8975684E81321218F"><enum>330.</enum><header>Requirements for voting by mail-in ballot</header><subsection id="H7DCC4036F87E4E7A952F8B59E10CC94A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Mail Balloting Reform Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H55A96DD73C5D47FFA48A19A3B8DCF771"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibiting transmission of unsolicited ballots</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia may not transmit an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election to any individual who does not request the District of Columbia to transmit the ballot.</text></subsection><subsection id="H7C41914176A24D9582D43916CF302200"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Signature verification</header><paragraph id="H14B110D059B74ABC9BEBD126F5D98E0D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Inclusion of certificate with ballot</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia shall include with each absentee or other mail-in ballot transmitted for a District of Columbia election a certificate of transmission which may be signed by the individual for whom the ballot is transmitted.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H39FAE5B41AE843DD988C0840F3404CB3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requiring verification for ballot to be counted</header><text>Except as provided in subsection (d), the District of Columbia shall not accept an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election unless—</text><subparagraph id="HBD34B61E32224803A2F4D0F6ABAF293C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the individual for whom the ballot was transmitted—</text><clause id="HEE78D742400344BAB8BE5A99390AAAFC"><enum>(i)</enum><text>signs and dates the certificate of transmission included with the ballot under paragraph (1); and</text></clause><clause id="H787D284CA4E74F9CAEBBB7F2EDEEA0FC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>includes the signed certification with the ballot and the date on such certification is accurate and in no case later than the date of the election; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5C156AC2D944425CB6FC26F098AEAC12"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the individual’s signature on the ballot matches the signature of the individual on the official list of registered voters in the District of Columbia or other official record or document used by the District of Columbia to verify the signatures of voters. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HDFD0D5EE0D854C1D8DDA0DDFE2D36046" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Notice and opportunity to cure</header><paragraph id="HE0B27DDB8E654E3CAA8F5982A70D508A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Notice and opportunity to cure discrepancy in signatures</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If an individual submits an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election and the appropriate District of Columbia election official determines that a discrepancy exists between the signature on such ballot and the signature of such individual on the official list of registered voters in the District of Columbia or other official record or document used by the District of Columbia to verify the signatures of voters, such election official, prior to making a final determination as to the validity of such ballot, shall—</text><subparagraph id="HFCC014303A374E8DA1F3B680BD2DE302"><enum>(A)</enum><text>make a good faith effort to immediately notify the individual by mail, telephone, or (if available) text message or electronic mail that—</text><clause id="H8CD54B98C171424E891BC266453AA6C1"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a discrepancy exists between the signature on such ballot and the signature of the individual on the official list of registered voters in the District of Columbia or other official record or document used by the District of Columbia to verify the signatures of voters; and</text></clause><clause id="H99ED1286835D4E8EA4FA81294E55F1C6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>if such discrepancy is not cured prior to the expiration of the 48-hour period which begins on the date the official notifies the individual of the discrepancy, such ballot will not be counted; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H70E4D1733B4644288770F29547FDB603"><enum>(B)</enum><text>cure such discrepancy and count the ballot if, prior to the expiration of the 48-hour period described in subparagraph (A)(ii), the individual provides the official with information to cure such discrepancy, either in person, by telephone, or by electronic methods.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB396469D25614CC086B2D803D6B771E6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Notice and opportunity to cure missing signature or other defect</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If an individual submits an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election without a signature on the ballot or the certificate of transmission included with the ballot under subsection (c)(1) or submits an absentee ballot with another defect which, if left uncured, would cause the ballot to not be counted, the appropriate District of Columbia election official, prior to making a final determination as to the validity of the ballot, shall—</text><subparagraph id="H22A505926A674E6491AD2707CABE1112"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">make a good faith effort to immediately notify the individual either by mail, telephone, or (if available) text message or electronic mail that—</text><clause id="HEF1AF5F7382D4F64B1646481F047E167"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the ballot or certificate of transmission did not include a signature or has some other defect; and</text></clause><clause id="HDDCE6EA6FBFD46EB9948693B499D4956"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if the individual does not provide the missing signature or cure the other defect prior to the expiration of the 48-hour period which begins on the date the official notifies the individual that the ballot or certificate of transmission did not include a signature or has some other defect, such ballot will not be counted; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBBA53215D417498685B10E07A21205A5"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">count the ballot if, prior to the expiration of the 48-hour period described in subparagraph (A)(ii), the individual provides the official with the missing signature on a form proscribed by the District of Columbia or cures the other defect.</text></subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">This paragraph does not apply with respect to a defect consisting of the failure of a ballot to meet the applicable deadline for the acceptance of the ballot, as described in subsection (e). </continuation-text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFB136D20C0EA402F8905F4895291C61A"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Deadline for acceptance</header><paragraph id="HF9CDCBCB28114ECAB5A5A4B59AF45275"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Deadline</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in paragraph (2), the District of Columbia may not accept an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election which is received by the appropriate election official following the close of polls on Election Day.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCE79C3CB212B416FA1DACE28281E7B1D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exception for absent military and overseas voters</header><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply to a ballot cast by an individual who is entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H096F89D65A2A4BFBAFC3CC7DADEFDB33"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this subsection may be construed as prohibiting the District of Columbia from accepting an absentee or other mail-in ballot for a District of Columbia election that is delivered in person by the voter to an election official at an appropriate polling place or the District of Columbia Board of Elections if such ballot is received by the election official by the deadline described in paragraph (1).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HAFCD15BE95554CBCBEC4A5CF31A4425D"><enum>331.</enum><header>Requirements with respect to use of drop boxes</header><subsection id="HE24555CC4C71401F9C230377AE4F71D5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia Ballot Security Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HB6017DD208C84FB48DAD3C4030B337BA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With respect to a District of Columbia election, the District of Columbia may not use a drop box to accept a voted absentee or other mail-in ballot for any such election unless—</text><paragraph id="H880763C684704FC99FE37A3B869028B8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>any such drop box is located inside a District of Columbia government building or facility;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA144AB186F664C33986F63E59D11365A"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the District of Columbia provides for the security of any such drop box through 24-hour remote or electronic surveillance; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H63D7790C9B2849FE8FA42ABB7809420D"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the District of Columbia Board of Elections collects any ballot deposited in any such drop box each day after 5:00 p.m. (local time) during the period of the election.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H764D1C7A4DD44592A65BC13614A8771D" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>332.</enum><header>Special rule with respect to application of requirements to Federal elections</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">With respect to an election for Federal office in the District of Columbia, to the extent that there is any inconsistency with the requirements of this subtitle and the requirements of subtitle A, the requirements of this subtitle shall apply.</text></section><section id="H673C386AD9444236A932E498FCE80789"><enum>333.</enum><header>Prohibiting the use of ranked choice voting</header><subsection id="H3D1F3FE97315412A934DF5024121BFC6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: District of Columbia One Vote One Choice Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H2178EFF5140645A09EB66A7C9DB5DDBB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia may not carry out a District of Columbia election using a system of ranked choice voting under which each voter shall rank the candidates for the office in the order of the voter’s preference.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1830C9AC2360481FB75F70EE5AC3F651"><enum>334.</enum><header>Early voting</header><subsection id="H3867FF26397447CA927EFDFBE124842B" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requiring early voting</header><paragraph id="H94B9481A7B0649098182886C9A720E32"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The District of Columbia shall allow individuals to vote in person in a District of Columbia election during an early voting period which occurs prior to the date of the election, in the same manner as in person voting is allowed on such date.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBF562C54E1104D77BD8E647816B0CA73" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Length of period</header><text>The early voting period required under this subsection with respect to a District of Columbia election shall consist of not more than 10 days during the period of consecutive days (including weekends) which begins on the 14th day before the date of the election and ends on the date of the election.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H34A27127EA5745AB974C0FD370057440" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Polling place requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each polling place which allows voting during an early voting period under subsection (a) shall have the same hours for each day on which such voting occurs as the polling place has on the date of the election.</text></subsection></section><section id="H282CD53706134D44ACA795033E5D70D4"><enum>335.</enum><header>District of Columbia election defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this subtitle, the term <term>District of Columbia election</term> means any election for public office in the District of Columbia, including an election for Federal office, and any ballot initiative or referendum. </text></section></subtitle><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H7F2F7B1B577F4988A3ACD8A2A5B29098"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to enforcement</header><text>Section 401 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21111">52 U.S.C. 21111</external-xref>) is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: <quote>, and the requirements of subtitle C with respect to the District of Columbia.</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HE526AE7C14184D2C89B59E5C1638B33A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title III the following:</text><toc container-level="legis-body-container" quoted-block="yes-quoted-block" lowest-level="section" regeneration="yes-regeneration" lowest-bolded-level="division-lowest-bolded" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-quoted-entry style="OLC"><toc-entry idref="HB89A475D30294984ABAB3D69BF643741" level="subtitle">Subtitle C—Requirements for Elections in District of Columbia</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HA58ECC6C2D3E42D79A2E361915BBC3E7" level="section">Sec. 321. Statement of congressional authority; findings.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HA2B1F6625DAE43C3A51A1D18249CC4D1" level="section">Sec. 322. Requirements for photo identification.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HAA0BD66EAE3042D2BC5BCFFB585FAE8B" level="section">Sec. 323. Requirements for voter registration.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HE0F8B1B1AE54481BBE884A2FC2355205" level="section">Sec. 324. Ban on collection and transmission of ballots by certain third parties.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H959B711391844E2AB5694C05AB6FA072" level="section">Sec. 325. Timely processing and reporting of results.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="H12FBB37EB8CE4F919A74C04CB8F3D2B8" level="section">Sec. 326. Ban on noncitizen voting.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HF0CEF70BB85F425892CE056B3D052E95" level="section">Sec. 327. Requirements with respect to provisional ballots.</toc-entry><toc-entry idref="HB335FAE0F3004DD7A92A391E812B53C5" level="section">Sec. 328. Mandatory post-election audits.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 329. Public observation of election procedures.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 330. Requirements for voting by mail-in ballot.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 331. Requirements with respect to use of drop boxes.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 332. Special rule with respect to application of requirements to Federal elections.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 333. Prohibiting the use of ranked choice voting. </toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 334. Early voting.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 335. District of Columbia election defined.”.</toc-entry></toc-quoted-entry></toc></subsection></section><section id="HCEB7B3B980094D85A56D31881910551D"><enum>144.</enum><header>Repeal of Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24–242) is repealed, and any provision of law amended or repealed by such Act shall be restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted into law.</text></section><section id="HC9D76B29DA6347D585C1921933AE45CE"><enum>145.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The amendments made by this subtitle shall apply with respect to District of Columbia elections held on or after January 1, 2024. For purposes of this section, the term <term>District of Columbia election</term> has the meaning given such term in section 333 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by section 143(a).</text></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H66E240CF2D124421AF4428A5D129C31E"><enum>E</enum><header>Administration of the Election Assistance Commission</header><section id="H5FC5329AFB63456B86424A49F6C453DA"><enum>151.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This subtitle may be cited as the <quote>Positioning the Election Assistance Commission for the Future Act of 2023</quote>. </text></section><section id="HA16242B90C3E4FE1AD9CE17CC7D26930"><enum>152.</enum><header>Findings relating to the administration of the Election Assistance Commission</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="HB15D2388F7D5421385FEBDD28F4F6E40"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Election Assistance Commission best serves the American people when operating within its core statutory functions, including serving as a clearinghouse for information on election administration, providing grants, and testing and certifying election equipment.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H00D14C915DDB4B7C83908C621F61AD88"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The American people are best served when Federal agency election assistance is offered by a single agency with expertise in this space. The Election Assistance Commission, composed of four election experts from different political parties, is best situated among the Federal Government agencies to offer assistance services to citizens and to guide other Federal agencies that have responsibilities in the elections space. The Commission is also best suited to determine the timing of the issuance of any advisories and to disburse all appropriated election grant funding.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC735CEE67F0140C6B8B2BF713B14D752"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To this end, Congress finds that the Election Assistance Commission should be viewed as the lead Federal Government agency on all election administration matters, and other Federal agencies operating in this space should look to the Commission for guidance, direction, and support on election administration-related issues.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H43BCFDA51A144B8EAFB0FD0B19D4D96D"><enum>153.</enum><header>Requirements with respect to staff and funding of the Election Assistance Commission</header><subsection id="HBE448DA1ED7C407A8F6C190A1DE3D9A9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Staff</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 204(a)(5) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20924">52 U.S.C. 20924(a)(5)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>of such additional personnel</quote> and inserting <quote>of not more than 55 full-time equivalent employees to carry out the duties and responsibilities under this Act and the additional duties and responsibilities required under the American Confidence in Elections Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H0B6FED8E3D0D44B68935F2C0355B2741" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Funding</header><text>Section 210 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20930">52 U.S.C. 20930</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HFFCCB510B27C45BAA3D4CB87B41C9F0C" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005</quote> and inserting <quote>for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2026</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H382042CB14C14EC1B405A228AEC89624" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>(but not to exceed $10,000,000 for each such year)</quote> and inserting <quote>(but not to exceed $25,000,000 for each such year)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC7B5576CF817466EBA1E8184ED803732"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Prohibition on certain use of funds</header><paragraph id="H9C50A11D32E14B5FA73BC3A814E0D3F6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text>None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available under subsection (b) may be obligated or expended for the operation of an advisory committee established by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc-appendix" parsable-cite="usc-appendix/5/2">5 U.S.C. App. 2</external-xref>), except with respect to the operation of the Local Leadership Council.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8E265EDA63EF444580DA033D43B2ECA9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>No effect on entities established by Help America Vote Act of 2002</header><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to the operation of any entity established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, including the Election Assistance Commission Standards Board, the Election Assistance Commission Board of Advisors, and the Technical Guidelines Development Committee.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9F335F7EEB934E299D2E6348D92D25AE"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Requirements with respect to compensation of members of the Commission</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 203(d) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20923">52 U.S.C. 20923(d)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HB1D0C9EC385A494F84460709232B2E61"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>at the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code</quote> and inserting <quote>at an annual rate of basic pay equal to the lesser of the amount of $176,300, as adjusted under section 5318 of title 5, United States Code, in the same manner as the annual rate of pay for positions at each level of the Executive Schedule, or 90 percent of the annual rate of pay for a member of the Federal Election Commission (but in no case lower than the rate applicable for the pay period occurring on the date of the enactment of the American Confidence in Elections Act)</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3994141B9C624142B60031881BA03F8F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking <quote>No member appointed</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as provided in paragraph (3), no member appointed</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA080F53330794AAF970CB0940DDBF3D8"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H62661032BC2546438F2746FD65DECAB9" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H2D0CC357662043C3A9598F0D8D71A5CC"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Supplemental employment and compensation</header><text>An individual serving a term of service on the Commission shall be permitted to hold a position at an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/1001">20 U.S.C. 1001</external-xref>) if—</text><subparagraph id="H0AA6CD673B294E83B27B76A42D29B8C5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the General Counsel of the Election Assistance Commission determines that such position does not create a conflict of interest with the individual’s position as a sitting member of the Commission and grants the individual approval to hold the position; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDB8B4616765E4FC580518C219FF0851D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the annual rate of compensation received by the individual from such institution is not greater than the amount equal to 49.9% of the annual rate of basic pay paid to the individual under paragraph (1).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7447EAA91E4C4947A6AAE8FE4028918C" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Office of Inspector General</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 204 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20924">52 U.S.C. 20924</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H68748B34B50342C3A03CEEC2440B1F45" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HC2D690A85F6B4266AE9BB5F838FD7AED"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Office of Inspector General</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In consultation with the Office of the Inspector General of the Commission, the Commission shall establish annually a budget and a number of full-time equivalent employees for the Office of the Inspector General which will ensure that the Office has sufficient funding and personnel to carry out the duties and responsibilities under section 404 of title 5, United States Code.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H9935D5F598FB47B69ACC89D3C4EFD50A"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2025.</text></subsection></section><section id="H177B271AAF104814B1399C65199FBD24"><enum>154.</enum><header>General requirements for payments made by Election Assistance Commission</header><subsection id="H3965EE802A7D42F2B0D687CC98A7CA50"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Exclusive authority of Election Assistance Commission to make election administration payments to States</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No entity of the Federal Government other than the Election Assistance Commission may make any payment to a State for purposes of administering elections for Federal office, including obtaining election and voting equipment and infrastructure (including software), enhancing election and voting technology, and making election and voting security improvements, including with respect to cybersecurity and infrastructure (including software).</text></subsection><subsection id="H2B3BDDAC100747D182FBD172501AA42F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibiting use of payments for get-out-the-vote-activity; other requirements for payments made by Commission</header><text>Subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21001">52 U.S.C. 21001 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new part:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HBC16EE1BCC404F7C94552F8BDF02C62A" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><part id="H9421423F347C404FA2D9FCF2A50FA42E"><enum>7</enum><header>General Requirements for Payments</header><section id="HBFB682E9E62445018CF9E6DF66C75DB7"><enum>297.</enum><header>Prohibiting use of payments for get-out-the-vote-activity</header><subsection id="HD7B535DF0FA4484F9C4C95D0C25CAEAE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No payment made to a State or unit of local government by the Commission under this Act or any other Act or any other Federal funds made available to a State or unit of local government may be used for get-out-the-vote activity.</text></subsection><subsection id="H2754879A069C4DCF99167F2688AFB25E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this section, the term <term>get-out-the-vote activity</term> means, with respect to a payment made to a State or unit of local government, any activity which, at the time the payment is made, is treated as get-out-the-vote-activity under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and the regulations promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to carry out such Act, or similar activity which is targeted, or may be reasonably assumed to be targeted, at particular voters and groups of voters on the basis of political affiliation, their expected votes, their place of residence, or some other demographic factor.</text></subsection></section></part><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HD8A74C634B9A4BF1B87B6BAD57360F52"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requiring disclaimer in communications</header><text>Part 7 of subtitle D of title II of such Act, as added by subsection (b), is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H86D0B598ED2A44108830364A3D9D8591" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="H70B75FE1765F43A6A6084AE87B56B2C2"><enum>297A.</enum><header>Requiring communications funded by payments to include disclaimer</header><subsection id="H40EBC289CC154912A7BDB8C830D4845A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a State or unit of local government disseminates a public communication which was developed or disseminated in whole or in part with a payment made to the State or a unit of local government by the Commission under this Act or any other Act, the State or unit of local government shall ensure that the communication includes, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the following statement: <quote>Paid for using Federal taxpayer funds pursuant to the Help America Vote Act</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HE99371E247224531AC57EB7664579B85" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clear and conspicuous manner described</header><text>A statement required under subsection (a) shall be considered to be in a clear and conspicuous manner if the statement meets the following requirements:</text><paragraph id="H54B63636C606454B9C329885D429951B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Text or graphic communications</header><text>In the case of a text or graphic communication, the statement—</text><subparagraph id="H034656185F3B4C82AB4B8071D843B8EB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>appears in letters at least as legible as the majority of the text in the communication;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H45D4B9151EBB4A7DB1AE7D92FBC932C2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>is contained in a printed box set apart from the other contents of the communication; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7649FA762A504D99AF53562521272CC9"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">is printed with a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB32B2B96828F436D9AA0BAAE204B83FC"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Audio communications</header><text>In the case of an audio communication, the statement is spoken in a clearly audible and intelligible manner at the beginning or end of the communication and lasts at least 3 seconds.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA56BA9871E1E45A4986A73835695AAE7"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Video communications</header><text>In the case of a video communication, the statement—</text><subparagraph id="HF9A4DDCCA5CB4281B74C438945071465"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is included at either the beginning or the end of the communication; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H824BF47778FA4A3BA2EBA7744579FDB0"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">is made in a written format that meets the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) and appears for at least 4 seconds.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6FDA430B0CF54E49A4E2B7865BA7262B"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Other communications</header><text>In the case of any other type of communication, the statement is at least as clear and conspicuous as the statement specified in paragraph (1), (2), or (3).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7F8F43FF3466477B93E97CC2E0F9F4FF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Public communication</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>public communication</term> means a communication relating to the administration of an election for Federal office by means of any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication, Internet communication, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mass mailing, or telephone bank to the general public, or any other form of general public advertising.</text></subsection></section><section id="HB275F2E3FAB24CAEBFC2AB9D5ED44318"><enum>297B.</enum><header>Guidance on use of payments</header><subsection id="H210EDC0E18B44D089E1788C50DBEEBE1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Requiring establishment and publication on guidance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall establish and publish clear guidance on the permissible use of any payments made by the Commission to States and units of local government under this Act or any other Act.</text></subsection><subsection id="HDB6E65C0A4A9465E86A900B9BA1579DD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements for guidance</header><text>The guidance established under this section shall meet the following requirements:</text><paragraph id="H0B17AD115C9E4E89A804872EBDDFC419"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The guidance shall be consistent for all States and units of local government.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H99DD1E0EA68946338CC06FEF89D70B5C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The guidance shall be available to the public.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA351017833584BBFAB7BF052F52EECCE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>If the Commission revises any previously established and published guidance under this section, the revision may not take effect until after the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office, and the Commission shall provide and publish its reasons for the revision.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4C878D5C9A4D4592A8BC41C902534AE4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Application of guidance to audits</header><text>If the Commission conducts any audit of the use of a payment to a State or unit of local government, it shall base the audit on the compliance of the State or unit of local government with the applicable guidance under this section and the applicable requirements of this Act.</text></subsection><subsection id="H496905B0D85742B9A192219FEBBC8B57"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Uniform terms for reports</header><text>In cooperation and consultation with States, the Commission shall establish a set of uniform terms for States and units of local government to use for any reports submitted to the Commission on the use of payments made by the Commission under this Act or any other Act.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HB8EFED56769F4A47AF5711E34EC37899"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by inserting at the end of the items relating to subtitle D of title II the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H8E5A8C53DBE94FA3887E65D6025DD7B9" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="part">Part 7—General Requirements for Payments</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 297. Prohibiting use of payments for get-out-the-vote-activity.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 297A. Requiring communications funded by payments to include disclaimer.</toc-entry><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 297B. Guidance on use of payments.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H6C6E4143A4414FEB95D0C5B7C29E9325"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>This section and the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to payments made on or after the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="H5C15FFDF7D3C431F9B4A9AAA6539462F" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>155.</enum><header>Executive Board of the Standards Board authority to enter into contracts</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 213(c) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20943">52 U.S.C. 20943(c)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H5DDFF480EAE44520A32155494A741FE5" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H7A570EBDEAD94683A0139AB789CA5921"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Authority to enter into contracts</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Executive Board of the Standards Board may, using amounts already made available to the Commission, enter into contracts to employ and retain no more than 2 individuals to enable the Standards Board to discharge its duties with respect to the examination and release of voluntary considerations with respect to the administration of elections for Federal offices by the States under section 247, except that—</text><subparagraph id="H3DAF91F3746E4FF98E17C511422CDDCB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>no more than 1 individual from the same political party may be employed under such contracts at the same time; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDABFC021957D4DC4B7B67FA0F21CBEBC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the authority to enter into such contracts shall end on the earlier of the date of the release of the considerations or December 31, 2025; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H049E33A03AD14D1EAD1348A5AE1D65CB"><enum>(C)</enum><text>no additional funds may be appropriated to the Commission for the purposes of carrying out this paragraph.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="HB92E35D19E45421E93965A8F2C5765D2"><enum>156.</enum><header>Election Assistance Commission primary role in election administration assistance</header><subsection id="H947497DB9B384856B81C93EF03302096"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in any other provision of law, the Election Assistance Commission shall, with respect to any other entity of the Federal Government, have primary jurisdiction to address issues with respect to the administration of elections for Federal office.</text></subsection><subsection id="H83D7BF96C2434BDF93AFD0599038DF15"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Exclusive authority of Election Assistance Commission to develop voluntary guidelines with respect to voting systems and nonvoting technology</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No entity of the Federal Government other than the Election Assistance Commission may develop, adopt, issue, or oversee voluntary guidelines with respect to voting systems and any related nonvoting election technology, as defined in section 298C of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (as added by section 129(b)) that are used in elections for Federal office. </text></subsection></section><section id="HA8CF3756E09C4F1587BFE8CD9003EC8A"><enum>157.</enum><header>Clarification of the duties of the Election Assistance Commission</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 202 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20922">52 U.S.C. 20922</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H574401C575C34C9B80AF4E0B1B0E045B" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The Commission shall serve</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H3DCB036166FB4F379B3277FA0EE6CF92" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H70F820BD49B74AF1A2C4740068E2B7B9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall serve</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HB2E891B488F14D09A9389F53A270D2D3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>including the maintenance of a clearinghouse of information on the experiences of State and local governments in implementing the guidelines and in operating voting systems in general</quote> and inserting <quote>including, in cooperation with and for the benefit of the States and their political subdivisions, the maintenance and operation of a Federal forum for the States and their political subdivisions to discuss with other States and their political subdivisions their experiences with election administration processes, equipment, operations, training, and scheduling, as well as any other useful information relating to State administration of elections for Federal office (as described in subsection (b))</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB80E2B941FB245DB92FF54C001D25B5E"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>, including any related nonvoting election technology, as defined in section 298C of the Help America Vote Act of 2002</quote> after <quote>hardware and software</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H077770B003804FCF9106F9A9B6D9E27B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subsections:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H98C4A8939F554925989316CAC2782D6C" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H12CD632CFAFB4937A37DF5A1050258FA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Federal forum for discussion of election administration experiences</header><paragraph id="H14CBA94BF3C54E96B68B5064E4BF5E8F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Membership</header><text>The membership of the Federal forum described in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall be comprised of the membership of the Standards Board and of the Local Leadership Council.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6C7F670A350A4AC6A1D31F751603DB23"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Maintenance of clearinghouse</header><text>As part of such Federal forum, the Commission shall, on behalf of and for the benefit of the States and their political subdivisions, maintain and operation a national clearinghouse of relevant information developed by or provided to the Federal forum with respect to State administration of elections for Federal office. The Commission may also include other information related to election administration that it considers useful to State and local election administrators who administer elections for Federal office, except that the Commission may not endorse a private third party, the information provided or published by a private third party, or use such information in a way that suggests that the information was created or endorsed by the Commission.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBBAC2416E82949929520AEA92587F3B0"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Special rule with respect to prioritization of duties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall—</text><paragraph id="H218F11EAED8E4C42AA9C05A31370B3C5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>prioritize carrying out the duties described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subsection (a);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H510062594E484714834A57E9D4EC0E43"><enum>(2)</enum><text>retain personnel qualified to assist the Commission in carrying out such duties; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H56ABCA529B6B4870A4C1982724FDC0BC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>prioritize such duties in all budget requests.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="HF79ADC4954A244EF867ED3C4E7ECA47D"><enum>158.</enum><header>Election Assistance Commission powers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 205 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20925">52 U.S.C. 20925</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HAC0F7B0F027B4DEA8E42AFB1DEF45B73" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H453742E0AFC54F2C8682B7E61E71C6FB"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Concurrent transmissions to Congress</header><paragraph id="H7E704796F9214D0E8AFB077F9F4F2E59"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Budget estimate or request</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Whenever the Commission submits any budget estimate or request to the President or the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Commission shall concurrently transmit a copy of such estimate or request to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB51DE1C0C9414EF4B289ECFD34EC4028"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Legislative recommendation, testimony, or comments</header><text>Whenever the Commission submits any legislative recommendation, testimony, or comments on legislation requested by Congress or by any Member of Congress to the President or the Office of Management and Budget, it shall concurrently transmit a copy thereof to Congress or to the Member of Congress involved (as the case may be). No officer or agency of the United States shall have any authority to require the Commission to submit its legislative recommendations, testimony, or comments on legislation to any office or agency of the United States for approval, comments, or review prior to the submission of such recommendations, testimony, or comments to the Congress or Member of Congress under the previous sentence. </text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="H610D0F9FC5FC4E8586B46438F5BDCFFC"><enum>159.</enum><header>Membership of the Local Leadership Council</header><subsection id="H0B52D64D81FA496DB81472129A373691"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subtitle C of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20981">52 U.S.C. 20981 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H72BB46CA2BD246F1803AF0A4D98F14B2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating section 248, as redesignated by section 113(a)(1), as section 249; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC27FBC43420E4124A93EC8FFAC1C9C08"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding before section 249 (as redesignated by paragraph (1)) the following new section: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H109A347EF6D846C2AFE19C7DAFD2C730" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="H1D4BD019E1744D23BEF2A540DC223380"><enum>248.</enum><header>Membership of the Local Leadership Council</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In appointing members of the Local Leadership Council, the Commission shall ensure that members who represent the same State are not of the same political affiliation in their professional capacities and should reflect the goal of soliciting diverse opinions and ideas.</text></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5A5EC686845942398D17A4F1CBEBB5A0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended—</text><paragraph id="H1E6709CD73DA4B568D8B718BE1591254"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating the item relating to section 248, as redesignated by section 113(b)(1), as section 249; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB0B38E5FF81C4315A8B0FED24BC56F1C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after the item relating to section 247, as added by section 113(b)(2), the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HFCAD15B76D554A3C9F99D563D5E27DD7" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">Sec. 248. Membership of the Local Leadership Council.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H97F28017CE5D4408A5CE809F034CC789"><enum>160.</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this subtitle or the amendments made by this subtitle shall be construed as providing the Election Assistance Commission with additional regulatory authority, other than the regulatory authority required to carry out the requirements and duties under this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle.</text></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H7B2847B6B8F74CBA86334E8373BF77DE"><enum>F</enum><header>Prohibition on Involvement in Elections by Foreign Nationals</header><section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0C60FF577CCF4ADE93603D987BE77109" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>161.</enum><header>Prohibition on contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with ballot initiatives and referenda</header><subsection id="HAC54E5F4967C47A6AC46D4E1B6E54840"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: Keeping Foreign Money out of Ballot Measures Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H91AE8F01E97149459CDA3401793E1A69"><enum>(b)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/29">Chapter 29</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE0190E2482534435B658E71E41B87C02" style="USC" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="HF70FD0F0566944049E744AD95C886796"><enum>612.</enum><header>Foreign nationals making certain political contributions</header><subsection id="HFDD2A1914F714BE5B56E4888D5D85C7C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It shall be unlawful for a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution as such term is defined in section 301(8)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(8)(A)</external-xref>) or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a State or local ballot initiative or referendum.</text></subsection><subsection id="HA00AE46C9800448ABCB1A9EA97DF719F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Penalty</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $250,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.</text></subsection><subsection id="H16DEF93985F247FCA9C965F2CBCC32D7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Foreign national defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>foreign national</term> has the meaning given such term in section 319(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30121">52 U.S.C. 30121(b)</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H5EF79D8301B54B2EB54DCAF08A682330"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/29">chapter 29</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H662CA381C1234D5AB5A7D806B41E45C9" style="USC" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">612. Foreign nationals making certain political contributions.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H7B20EED4287B48F5A4B4CBFFE37E8683"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective Date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to contributions and donations made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="H5E5BF9351078453AAA4267889C06F09C"><enum>162.</enum><header>Prohibiting providing assistance to foreign nationals in making contributions or donations in connection with elections</header><subsection id="HD89EE6986BB7415C97E0DA797AA7B3A2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 319(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30121">52 U.S.C. 30121(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H5D6E633A531C4C6EAFFF1A58F4FC6C52"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(C), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H681C5EB6B32540B8B5677D4A5F05CDEF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0771D818DF984A2ABBDBB8122DBB61A8"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H081C03EB773142C38A124F0FF5378B84" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H019DD5D71BC64A4B98500302F0ED9E26"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a person to knowingly help or assist a foreign national in violating this subsection.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HDAE9A6D2F95341D0B1CA36CEFE79AA48"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to contributions and donations made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1680AB97A0974BF8AAD33748EDE481D5" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>163.</enum><header>Prohibition on contributions by foreign nationals to certain tax-exempt entities</header><subsection id="H41885C50903F4BCA956DCBF63E4A41E4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 319(a)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30121">52 U.S.C. 30121(a)(1)</external-xref>), as amended by section 162(a), is amended—</text><paragraph id="H54510A14BF3E47DABD66136A8377D30B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by adding <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H72579FFA852842ACB748E5F195DD5153"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HC32DC06A9CF943D2A7A3EEA7A7036446" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HD908CFA296024DD4AA569A1E0C757B82"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value to an organization that is described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">section 501(c)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code if the organization makes or expects to make a contribution to a political committee during the 4-year period which begins on the date that the foreign national made such contribution or donation to the organization; or</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBAF93CFBB63F441D9E6B7D11EB989551"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Rule of construction regarding privacy of donor information</header><text>Section 319 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30121">52 U.S.C. 30121</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H1FB0A895C9E44B7CBBE747D56A045271" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HE3A9A07A9BC54CFE9184E875871A4948"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in paragraph (1)(D) of subsection (a) may be construed to permit the collection, submission, or disclosure of any information in violation of the Speech Privacy Act of 2023.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H41995AEA38114C3797101CBB90FC2BB2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to contributions made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="HE95B6418C7E142EE81247A3C39073792"><enum>G</enum><header>Constitutional Experts Panel with Respect to Presidential Elections</header><section id="H5700BD3983E04E84B2FF2864AF75F710"><enum>171.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This subtitle may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Solving an Overlooked Loophole in Votes for Executives (SOLVE) Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HB2FC9BB9BF7441C4909F48FE8EE5FDA2"><enum>172.</enum><header>Establishment of panel of constitutional experts</header><subsection id="H13D30C578B1D40A997297585C7E58121"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There is established the <quote>Twentieth Amendment Section Four Panel</quote> (in this section referred to as the <quote>Panel</quote>).</text></subsection><subsection id="H489B1A24763043819B6912FC93FE138D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Membership</header><paragraph id="H7245949EFAB5486D93C74E1FB35F2E39"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Panel shall be composed of 6 constitutional experts, of whom—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H1D94927BE4D04C888A7E5ECB31660CAB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HBE81E81FD1024259AC1B961071137CB0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HCF06869F423D4034A99247F25A0EB900"><enum>(C)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed jointly by the majority and minority leader of the Senate;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H08B199A6254D4CE0AE1AB9C558A8832D"><enum>(D)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H30EB036B37034C2CB6CFE83DE27D1B9B"><enum>(E)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed by minority leader of the House of Representatives; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HD6A6B28FB5254C3DA2154EEC9555B7C8"><enum>(F)</enum><text>1 shall be appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the House of Representatives.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3601E97271214DC8A43010B3ACBBDC40"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The appointments of the members of the Panel shall be made not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6E037BBDEC44421F9FEACBD9A5A8D541"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Vacancy</header><text>Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Panel shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H04B3F9AD33B14E4D9DEFE19748C6542B"><enum>(4)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Chairperson and Vice Chairperson</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Panel shall select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of the Panel.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2DC7BFEC0A6448739355662DC29AA652"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>The purpose of the Panel shall be to recommend to Congress model legislation, which shall provide for an appropriate process, pursuant to section 4 of the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, to resolve any vacancy created by the death of a candidate in a contingent presidential or vice-presidential election. </text></subsection><subsection id="HAFC3880D67C34DD3946109CA147FE242"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Reports</header><paragraph id="H65D35043EFC2401D855713263C475FCE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Initial report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date on which all of the appointments have been made under subsection (b)(2), the Panel shall submit to Congress an interim report containing the Panel’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H146DFF9C7D4E416299F6F53A9304EFBD"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Final report</header><text>Not later than 6 months after the submission of the interim report under paragraph (1), the Panel shall submit to Congress a final report containing the Panel’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5906D401291546FE973E9179BB1BFFB6"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Meetings; information</header><paragraph id="H4AE2374D839A48DEA0319ECD73A98DB7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Meetings of the Panel shall be held at the Law Library of Congress. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8FF247E8D1554659934876F9F8BB0131"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Information</header><text>The Panel may secure from the Law Library of Congress such information as the Panel considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H878B298C5D8347C890393A964EFB07FB"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Funds</header><paragraph id="HE7E52ABAB3724A3FB28CC4FAB5EB367A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Compensation of members</header><text>Members of the Panel shall receive no compensation. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H112CB941363844E1A9D02CF518FA4E04"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Other funding</header><text>No amounts shall be appropriated for the purposes of this section, except for any amounts strictly necessary for the Law Library of Congress to execute its responsibilities under subsection (e).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8C4658FCD5D54F21AB4A3CA6EC9E7AB0"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Termination</header><paragraph id="HDB24BCFE78074A718FC241092752F7D6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The panel established under subsection (a) shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the panel submits the final report required under subsection (d)(2).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3C271492F8464027BE8F5B8A6B7D0131"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Records</header><text>Upon termination of the panel, all of its records shall become the records of the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives. </text></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><enum>II</enum><header>Military Voting Administration</header><section id="H9D2497E8E9684A5998DC803D656FB65D"><enum>200.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote>American Confidence in Elections: Military Voting Rights Study Act</quote>. </text></section><subtitle id="HCC397570883742CEB3BD40AD6C9146BB"><enum>A</enum><header>Findings Relating to Military Voting</header><section id="H5AD4E8D375F64E199B38F481C063DA52"><enum>201.</enum><header>Findings relating to military voting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H2F14F10D3F734305B58185B2FF836BB0"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Participation in the voting process by Americans who serve in the Armed Forces is vital to the future of the Republic; however, due to the realities of service around the globe and despite many best efforts, the nation has not always lived up to its commitment to servicemembers that their vote be counted.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H218A44489E20471E931A3D385EA18E62"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Military and Overseas Empowerment (MOVE) Act made great progress in solving problems with voting that many servicemembers faced. Yet, for many, it is still difficult to exercise the franchise, with many ballots not reaching State elections officials until after the deadline, negating their voice. After 14 years, Congress must address the remaining issues. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H8E8485B63F3D4C26BF14259BBC5D2F94"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Congress finds that it is a moral imperative of national importance that every eligible American servicemember has the opportunity to cast a ballot in each election and, not only that such ballot be received in time to be counted, but that it actually be counted according to law.</text></paragraph></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H40DD049E406242CD818517B37282779A"><enum>B</enum><header>GAO Analysis on Military Voting Access</header><section id="H8A85137AA19A48D7A8FD956FCF1D2D95" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>211.</enum><header>Government Accountability Office report on implementation of Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and improving access to voter registration information and assistance for absent uniformed services voters</header><subsection id="HF60CEF53A51E43D8AB4722B83EA23C66"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct—</text><paragraph id="H5906918F01984A7B97326D0140BF4B2A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an analysis of the effectiveness of the Federal Government in carrying out its responsibilities under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20301">52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.</external-xref>) to promote access to voting for absent uniformed services voters; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA6954616068248459CD7A4A3941874B8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a study on means for improving access to voter registration information and assistance for members of the Armed Forces and their family members.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H583290F5FB8E499895EC5F57A51F9191"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><paragraph id="H3440E9168F1047BFBF03C86BDE0AD6D5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Analysis</header><text>The analysis required by subsection (a)(1) shall include analysis of the following:</text><subparagraph id="H0FAFFA5CF3DE4DAEBAA54ED6437FF4CE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Data and information pertaining to the transmission of ballots to absent unformed services voters.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H15AFD593F3E048338D0F4599BB6E523A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Data and information pertaining to the methods of transmission of voted ballots from absent uniformed services voters, including the efficacy and security of such methods.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCA7DCAD8B5AD45D4BB2F0C0131B7426A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Data and information pertaining to the treatment by election officials of voted ballots transmitted by absent uniformed services voters, including—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H18F5CFFB6B434A4F8718B8FDEC347B76"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the rate at which such ballots are counted in elections; </text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H256BBEADF4AA42FAB86AFE32722A4269"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the rate at which such ballots are rejected in elections; and </text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H367720C51A73471681CCAA9AC7FC4E08"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the reasons for such rejections.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFB16D5926B97423B88702AEFE2EC4753"><enum>(D)</enum><text>An analysis of the effectiveness of the assistance provided to absent uniformed services voters by Voting Assistance Officers of the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0E06FFD2CB084AB383E8A1C06551858A"><enum>(E)</enum><text>A review of the extent of coordination between Voting Assistance Officers and State and local election officials.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H57B87F46DB4746E1AE2A4E0F44484312"><enum>(F)</enum><text>Information regarding such other issues relating to the ability of absent uniformed services voters to register to vote, vote, and have their ballots counted in elections for Federal office.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H885B7E5C7EF34C2CAD7D3B970F899F13"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Data and information pertaining to—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD2872A36CF1D4FA88093BF6529D7BDF7"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the awareness of members of the Armed Forces and their family members of the requirement under section 1566a of title 10, United States Code, that the Secretaries of the military departments provide voter registration information and assistance; and </text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H55C06B91BCAB4D7F9AD65A24566B9686"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">whether members of the Armed Forces and their family members received such information and assistance at the times required by subsection (c) of that section.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC113028426744A7C80164C78A21EB20F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The study required by subsection (a)(2) shall include the following:</text><subparagraph id="H2E664D9E4BF54EDFB537A521E4C67926"><enum>(A)</enum><text>An assessment of potential actions to be undertaken by the Secretary of each military department to increase access to voter registration information and assistance for members of the Armed Forces and their family members.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAECD7F00AA7F48A490AFE7137721325E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An estimate of the costs and requirements to fully meet the needs of members of the Armed Forces for access to voter registration information and assistance.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H00DDFAC187244C1E854742D4B7D90C29"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Methods</header><text>In conducting the analysis and study required by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall, in cooperation and consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H74D5700C46D146D2864D5C78A6EE1E63"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">use existing information from available government and other public sources; and </text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H38CC982CDACF46B080CD917713B8AB52"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">acquire, through the Comptroller General’s own investigations, interviews, and analysis, such other information as the Comptroller General requires to conduct the analysis and study.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H16712B9CBD26480A9B42DDBA2BA35D9E"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report required</header><text>Not later than September 30, 2025, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives a report on the analysis and study required by subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="H343064E242334C0384F4647CC1E652BF"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="HB0BFBB9C6D604D55AB892912140AE3ED"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Absent uniformed services voter</header><text>The term <term>absent uniformed services voter</term> has the meaning given that term in section 107 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20310">52 U.S.C. 20310</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H72D31C8827994A518FFDC15BE199CB74"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Family member</header><text>The term <term>family member</term>, with respect to a member of the Armed Forces, means a spouse and other dependent (as defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code) of the member. </text></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><enum>III</enum><header>First Amendment Protection Act</header><section id="H01DA62F8D21A42C9B7AF8887B9B4B231"><enum>300.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote>First Amendment Protection Act</quote>. </text></section><subtitle id="H66B50CCECD074C16AA1B515037D66ED6"><enum>A</enum><header>Protecting Political Speech and Freedom of Association</header><part id="HA705DA2AE8774BC7BB643F7333CD06F4"><enum>1</enum><header>Protecting Political Speech</header><section id="H84BB4FCBA08F4C93AC4A4C868A639CFD" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>301.</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H7DCD484F1EB245BA9876D4DF7F3D965D"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The structure of the Constitution and its amendments represents the radical idea that any sovereign power exercised by the Federal Government flows either directly from the people or through the States they established to govern themselves. In the words of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, <quote>[t]he enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.</quote><quote>The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.</quote></text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3C74878BF21D4105BBF2B1A950496054"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Among the many freedoms it protects, the First Amendment prevents Congress from making any law abridging the freedom of speech, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, or the right of the people to petition the Government for the redress of grievances.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCEE56C834E6E446FBC2B2671DD038EEF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any proposed Federal action concerning freedom of speech, protest, or petition must start with an analysis of the First Amendment. Congress must ask whether the proposed action would abridge these freedoms, and any uncertainty must be determined in favor of fewer restrictions on speech.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HECB73D98C644428AB7648880C72337C4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>In particular, political speech, uttered in the furtherance of self-government, must raise an even higher bar to congressional abridgement. The mechanisms and media used to offer political speech must realize the same protections.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7BE243677CD642D591D3A1CC20D3903D"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">As the Supreme Court has recognized, the Constitution grants Congress only a very narrow interest in the regulation of political speech, the prevention of corruption or the appearance of corruption. <italic>Buckley v. Valeo</italic>, 424 U.S. 1, 25–26 (1976); <italic>Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action Commission</italic>, 470 U.S. 480, 497 (1985); <italic>Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission</italic> 558 U. S. 310, 359 (2010); <italic>McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission</italic>, 572 U. S. 185, 207 (2014); <italic>Cruz v. Federal Election Commission</italic> 142 S.Ct. 1638, 1652 (2022).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEA2DB8AAF84747A8A053FA96A6CF477A"><enum>(6)</enum><text>In order to uphold and effectuate the Constitution, any Federal statute that goes beyond this interest must be repealed, and Congress must exercise its Article 1 authorities to do so.</text></paragraph></section><section id="HB0835A8931634369AA0E5E508BBDEF41"><enum>302.</enum><header>Repeal of limits on coordinated political party expenditures</header><subsection id="H81E3B77054CE4AD48FE048C7218737D0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Repeal of Limits</header><text>Section 315(d) of the <act-name parsable-cite="FECA">Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(d)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HFA8C9E1A7A3A4CDC999C531F77D00B95"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="H60B6E07D3F5D4D0A89491494845EB7FF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>may make expenditures</quote> and inserting <quote>may make expenditures, including coordinated expenditures,</quote>, and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBBF06FFB9AC74709BF1C95FF07E9330D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Federal office, subject to the limitations contained in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection</quote> and inserting <quote>Federal office in any amount</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H9B55443DAD0A4BE9A157E0BE4A5FE2B5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H21E22797FA8D4C568BE10B8FD89663D5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clarifying treatment of certain party communications as coordinated expenditures</header><text>Section 315(d) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(d)</external-xref>), as amended by subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H4874F50D3BB24DA2AFB2E927B0EEE0AC" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HFD77D03252C54F29BE42ED61B7E84A4E" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of this subsection, a communication shall be treated as a coordinated expenditure in connection with the campaign of a candidate only if the public communication is paid for by a committee of a political party or its agent, refers to a clearly identified House or Senate candidate, and is publicly distributed or otherwise publicly disseminated in the clearly identified candidate’s jurisdiction.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HFDC7BEBBD4CC46A8B7DD64712112DEE8"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to Indexing</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H696100A644C8476DAC5F8291BBAF4447"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by striking <quote>(d),</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2B05B698C75A41DA90A4DD1B5D583C59"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)(i), by striking <quote>subsections (b) and (d)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (b)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCB5FAA8A008E4DE9A7B6FEDAE7FD69A2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="HF01DDB13B5E04DDDB26C4EDA83D4FA86"><enum>303.</enum><header>Repeal of limit on aggregate contributions by individuals</header><subsection id="H0E744D7F5FED4C0AB35880A3E7804CBC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds that the Supreme Court of the United States in <italic>McCutcheon v. FEC</italic>, 572 U.S. 185 (2014) determined the biennial aggregate limits under section 315(a)(3) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(3)</external-xref>) to be unconstitutional.</text></subsection><subsection id="H63B190C8CEB14845A581F0BB2A8B7540"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Repeal</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 315(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)</external-xref>) is amended by striking paragraph (3).</text></subsection><subsection id="H7D2C263056F142F49B84D90ED1CB78BA"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>(a)(3),</quote> each place it appears in paragraph (1)(B)(i), (1)(C), and (2)(B)(ii). </text></subsection></section><section id="H167E9C29B5234E3C9D1CC7B7D49909FB"><enum>304.</enum><header>Equalization of contribution limits to State and national political party committees</header><subsection id="HAC5EB886C918448B95D63AB444C81C68"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 315(a)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H1BAB5B2738F9427589661E50C4737210"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>a national political party</quote> and inserting <quote>a national or State political party</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H409610FB9F654AF7A2EB66C7F09A283E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding <quote>or</quote> at the end of subparagraph (B);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC772A2AFC71E44C1875A980C2AB3E41C"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>; or</quote> and inserting a period; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF61CC8D8594C4239948E94B767FDE86C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (D).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H10947512BF8A42B28875C1D2379AF6E3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Contributions by multicandidate political committees</header><paragraph id="H667D1D9062C246088382DAB26F580A45"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 315(a)(2)(B) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(2)(B)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>a national political party</quote> and inserting <quote>a national or State political party</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA79C0D2582724F238384F383A2D933F8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Price index adjustment</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HE29F75DEF5C54DD396DA3FF5F74D3B8D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H09EF92809A1B4B9EB9CA543EC1E6651C" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="H73CFE6E0E53540D68EB214A65928ACE7" indent="up2"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any calendar year after 2024—</text><clause id="H6AFB6C683C894774AC842BF51F29F27F"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a limitation established by subsection (a)(2) shall be increased by the percent difference determined under subparagraph (A);</text></clause><clause id="HC03C53083C3D41DDB46E42E728D69D09"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each amount so increased shall remain in effect for the calendar year; and</text></clause><clause id="H99E0BBA4142B4FA2A56003C632D66AEC"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if any amount after adjustment under clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC3CD100B82E34A8E95FA9DACA6D69A24"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)—</text><clause id="H46118B96DA5B4BCEA71BCA9959A07E87"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in clause (i), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></clause><clause id="HD7FF7D48D619439FB53D3F34703B1906"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H8CC1B3B863A14084864B24AFEC0E4C77"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HFE9BE2A9A4EE4D67B73ED8C735B121F3" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H1F474A4393964ABFAC41F4F696CE145D" indent="up1"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for purposes of subsection (a)(2), calendar year 2024. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7A30C3BC54374E56871EA9FA46F2C430"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Acceptance of additional amounts for certain accounts</header><paragraph id="HF0247B558BE64347AC89880ED59B9EB8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Permitting acceptance of additional amounts in same manner as national parties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 315(a) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H239DD372A77E4AF3A23D59C344696BB1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(B), by striking <quote>paragraph (9)</quote> and inserting <quote>paragraph (9) or paragraph (10)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDD94AC191E184B5D808103AD166D6A33"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (2)(B), by striking <quote>paragraph (9)</quote> and inserting <quote>paragraph (9) or paragraph (10)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFC6877C460494CD78EF436DD97F1E0A1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Accounts</header><text>Section 315(a)(9) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(9)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>national committee of a political party</quote> each place it appears in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) and inserting <quote>committee of a national or State political party</quote>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H265B8F7882C74910AD1F7CF316217E70"><enum>(3)</enum><header>State party convention accounts described</header><text>Section 315(a) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="HAF85AD179D1C45519B7550626E9494C7" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H4519C82EAAA84A3092E028C4FB5EB38C" indent="up1"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An account described in this paragraph is a separate, segregated account of a political committee established and maintained by a State committee of a political party which is used solely to defray—</text><subparagraph id="HF4F2CA8E622E4F6996C787A47D5B4FDF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>expenses incurred with respect to carrying out State party nominating activities or other party-building conventions;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H93A01C272477451D96E4C9A536F7B80C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>expenses incurred with respect to providing for the attendance of delegates at a presidential nominating convention, but only to the extent that such expenses are not paid for from the account described in paragraph (9)(A); or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H93D5BB5EE347486D8CA3D513C83444DF"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">expenses incurred with respect to carrying out local, county, or district conventions or proceedings to elect delegates to a State party convention.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HAE528F9DE3154988A4ED4383DE65C2EE"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Clarification of indexing of amounts to ensure equalization of party contribution limits</header><text>For purposes of applying section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>) to limits on the amount of contributions to political committees established and maintained by a State political party, the amendments made by this section shall be considered to have been included in section 307 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/107/55">Public Law 107–55</external-xref>; 116 Stat. 102).</text></subsection><subsection id="HB272EAB62504439CBF0EA8E2CBFF3C30"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="H07152BE4AEC5461D823798AF5458C1C7"><enum>305.</enum><header>Expansion of permissible Federal election activity by State and local political parties</header><subsection id="H95B4DAE58CE745BBBB8027C6F85CB92B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Expansion of permissible use of funds not subject to contribution limits or source prohibitions by State and local political parties for Federal election activity</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 323(b)(2) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30125">52 U.S.C. 30125(b)(2)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H4826E28C9E6D4052ACEFD57DC4D8E638" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HD14011D3D3BA4B74AD13EB6EDDB57E9B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding section 301(20), for purposes of paragraph (1), an amount that is expended or disbursed by a State, district, or local committee of a political party shall be considered to be expended or disbursed for Federal election activity only if the committee coordinated the expenditure or disbursement of the amount with a candidate for election for Federal office or an authorized committee of a candidate for election for Federal office.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H9B1CE7057FC24749934316D2D3AE7955"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header><paragraph id="HCC0303AAFBF349A5A63ABC7F48C91ABF"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Fundraising costs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 323(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30125">52 U.S.C. 30125(c)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: <quote>In the case of a person described in subsection (b), the previous sentence applies only if the amount was spent by such person in coordination with a candidate for election for Federal office or an authorized committee of a candidate for election for Federal office, as determined pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Commission for the purpose of determining whether a political party communication is coordinated with a candidate, a candidate's authorized committee, or an agent thereof.</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H43E6A48C95D84CD98CEBC4D0B717FF0C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Appearance of Federal candidates or officeholders at fundraising events</header><text>Section 323(e)(3) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30125">52 U.S.C. 30125(e)(3)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>subsection (b)(2)(C)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (b)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HF05D66172AC04534AE5F459CB0AF8DF3" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>306.</enum><header>Participation in joint fundraising activities by multiple political committees</header><subsection id="HFFBC9DF2127F46EBB32913EE21589399"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds the following: </text><paragraph id="H6405C5D030DA4DC69EA0FCFAE4E2F7B3"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">While Federal law permits the Federal Election Commission to engage in certain <quote>gap-filling</quote> activities as it administers the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, the regulations promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to govern joint fundraising activities of multiple political committees are not tied specifically to any particular provision of the Act, and while these regulations generally duplicate the provisions of the Act, they also impose additional and unnecessary burdens on political committees which seek to engage in joint fundraising activities, such as a requirement for written agreements between the participating committees.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF956F29E3D044A8E9EC4F3CBAEE312ED"><enum>(2)</enum><text>It is therefore not necessary at this time to direct the Federal Election Commission to repeal the existing regulations which govern joint fundraising activities of multiple political committees, as some political committees may have reasons for following the provisions of such regulations which impose additional and unnecessary burdens on these activities.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2D140A5F488D4CDD910BBB51C7E07927"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Criteria for participation in joint fundraising activities</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 302 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30102">52 U.S.C. 30102</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H533A96DC81864D42AF96544E0269219C" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H0AB9E0771C184B3A9B16740CADB66C09"><enum>(j)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD0DFAF1A73054A3F9F7E319642B43326"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Two or more political committees as defined in this Act may participate in joint fundraising activities in accordance with the following criteria:</text><subparagraph id="HB4E2ADBAA1014C338291746B1B244981" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The costs of the activities shall be allocated among and paid for by the participating committees on the basis of the allocation among the participating committees of the contributions received as a result of the activities.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8AF6036A52104DC2B3F8F80FD98177EB" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a participating committee may make a payment (in whole or in part) for the portion of the costs of the activities which is allocated to another participating committee, and the amount of any such payment shall be treated as a contribution made by the committee to the other participating committee.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6AA1445275014D88928529EF69BF58F8" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The provisions of section 315(a)(8) regarding the treatment of contributions to a candidate which are earmarked or otherwise directed through an intermediary or conduit shall apply to contributions made by a person to a participating committee which are allocated by the committee to another participating committee.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H58D7B45E404248118BC1DDC5BCBD34B9" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prohibit two or more political committees from participating in joint fundraising activities by designating or establishing a separate, joint committee subject to the registration and reporting requirements of this Act or by publishing a joint fundraising notice.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section></part><part id="HA47093DF55474F3485B21F03636A68F6"><enum>2</enum><header>Protecting Freedom of Association</header><section id="HF8E19B2388C04C6FA158B85F40EB3392"><enum>307.</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H4876584A0577445FB7EC203F70602EC7"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The First Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that <quote>[C]ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.</quote> See U.S. Const. Amend. I. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAEB647B6EB81431D9D8B1AE9B3F53B26"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment’s protections apply with equal force to States and localities as it does to the Federal Government. See <italic>Gitlow v. New York</italic>, 268 U.S. 652 (1925). </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2F45A630D5494881B465BA81242A768B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Supreme Court has held that <quote>implicit in the right to engage in activities protected by the First Amendment [lies] a corresponding right to associate with others.</quote><italic>Roberts v. United States Jaycees</italic>, 468 U. S. 609, 622 (1984). This is commonly understood as the right of association. It furthers <quote>a wide variety of political, social, economic, educational, religious, and cultural ends,</quote> and <quote>is especially important in preserving political and cultural diversity and in shielding dissident expression from suppression by the majority.</quote><italic>Id</italic>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H092C9FAAB6B349AFB1B99B5FDD39E19D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>In <italic>NAACP v. Alabama ex rel. Patterson</italic>, 357 U.S. 449 (1958), the Supreme Court held the First Amendment’s freedom of association protected the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from compelled disclosure of its members. This was because <quote>on past occasions revelation of the identity of its rank-and-file members has exposed these members to economic reprisal, loss of employment, threat of physical coercion, and other manifestations of public hostility. Under these circumstances...it [is] apparent that compelled disclosure of petitioner's Alabama membership is likely to affect adversely the ability of petitioner and its members to pursue their collective effort to foster beliefs which they admittedly have the right to advocate, in that it may induce members to withdraw from the Association and dissuade others from joining it because of fear of exposure of their beliefs shown through their associations and of the consequences of this exposure.</quote><italic>Id</italic>. at 462–463. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA3748CBD6A814234A2BBFA0A3D6309F7"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The First Amendment’s freedom of association has been protected and strengthened by the Supreme Court for over sixty years. See <italic>NAACP v. Alabama ex rel. Patterson</italic>, 357 U.S. 449 (1958); <italic>Shelton v. Tucker</italic>, 364 U. S. 479 (1960); <italic>Bates v. Little Rock</italic>, 361 U. S. 516 (1960); <italic>Healy v. James</italic>, 408 U. S. 169 (1972); <italic>Elrod v. Burns</italic>, 427 U. S. 347 (1976); <italic>Roberts v. United States Jaycees</italic>, 468 U.S. 609, 622 (1984); <italic>Boy Scouts of America v. Dale</italic>, 530 U.S. 640 (2000); <italic>Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta</italic>, 141 S. Ct. 2373 (2021). </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDD8F36B750C141AC943972823F004BDB"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Most recently, in <italic>Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta</italic>, 141 S. Ct. 2373 (2021), a California law required Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the Thomas Moore Law Center to disclose the names, contribution amounts, and addresses of their major donors. <italic>Id</italic>. at 2380. The Supreme Court held this substantial intrusion into the group’s donors was unconstitutional. <italic>Id</italic>. at 2389. While California Attorney General Bonta argued these disclosures were needed so California could prevent wrongdoing by charitable organizations, there was <quote>not a single, concrete instance in which pre-investigation collection of [this information] did anything to advance the Attorney General's investigative, regulatory or enforcement efforts.</quote><italic>Id</italic>. at 2386. Similarly, California’s need for this information before initiating an investigation was highly questionable as it was only one of three states to impose this requirement and did not seriously enforce it until 2010. <italic>Id</italic>. at 2387.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF288C6814070462E9D2B88E3AD8F7EA3"><enum>(7)</enum><text>In short, <italic>Americans for Prosperity Foundation</italic> and <italic>NAACP</italic> both stand for the proposition that compelled disclosure of an organization’s members can violate an organization’s freedom of association. This is because <quote>effective advocacy of both public and private points of view, particularly controversial ones, is undeniably enhanced by group association</quote> and there is a <quote>vital relationship between freedom to associate and privacy in one's associations...</quote> See <italic>Id</italic>. at 2382 citing <italic>NAACP v. Alabama ex rel. Patterson</italic>, 357 U.S. 449, 460–462. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H047233CE2F6B4814811DE7B7D03AA367"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Unfortunately, the First Amendment’s freedom of association protections are under constant attack. Recently, there have been efforts to enlarge the size of the Supreme Court because of disagreement with some of its rulings and personal disagreement with some of the justices. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4BC07F7A32BB44869AA10E3D9E48FB67"><enum>(9)</enum><text>On April 9, 2021, the President issued Executive Order 14023 that created the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court (the Commission). Under Section 3(iii) of that Executive Order, the Commission was tasked with providing <quote>[a]n analysis of the principal arguments in the contemporary public debate for and against Supreme Court reform, including an appraisal of the merits and legality of particular reform proposals.</quote>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE7C1BA666DFC49E7BD463F8EABE2601B"><enum>(10)</enum><text>In December 2021, the Commission released its final report. On the issue of adding justices to the Supreme Court, the Commission concluded <quote>[m]irroring the broader public debate, there is profound disagreement among Commissioners on this issue.</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H03509AE8AC5B4B9CA7B1D8BF07327B27"><enum>(11)</enum><text>Unfortunately, even though the President’s Commission would not endorse adding the number of justices on the Supreme Court, some in Congress still believe it is necessary. <italic>See, for example</italic>, H.R. 3422, the Judiciary Act of 2023 that would add four associate justices to the Supreme Court. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2CF45958EE504B9F9F39FCBDEAE19C6F"><enum>(12)</enum><text>Because of this political uncertainty and the importance that donors in all organizations, no matter their party affiliation, are protected from having their membership disclosed and threats of reprisal that would follow, it is important that Congress statutorily codifies the Supreme Court’s holdings in <italic>NAACP v. Alabama ex rel. Patterson</italic> and <italic>Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta</italic>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEDFC1572D54C4958894F0A7CAD35BD09"><enum>(13)</enum><text>Government targeting of tax-exempt organizations because of disagreement with their political views is sadly not a hypothetical problem. From 2010 through 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) intentionally discriminated against conservative organizations seeking tax-exempt status with words like <quote>patriot</quote> or <quote>Tea Party</quote> in their names. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9C0D7DC98F4349E3A66A8027D095F9D0"><enum>(14)</enum><text>After years of litigation, in October 2017, the IRS signed a consent decree in Federal court and admitted to targeting conservative organizations from 2010 through 2013. The IRS confessed that <quote>its treatment of [conservative organizations] during the tax-exempt determinations process, including screening their applications based on their names or policy positions, subjecting those applications to heightened scrutiny and inordinate delays, and demanding of some Plaintiffs’ information that TIGTA [U.S. Treasury Inspector General, Tax Administration] determined was unnecessary to the agency’s determination of their tax-exempt status, was wrong.</quote>. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB869EB8F4FF9484081D303814633A83D"><enum>(15)</enum><text>It is antithetical to the First Amendment that the IRS or any Federal Government agency would ever be used to target an organization because of its political beliefs, or who its donors might be. As such, these organizations need to be protected to prevent events like what transpired at the IRS between 2010 and 2013.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H7A972D0D99B44BB8B3CABD79DB1E8123"><enum>308.</enum><header>Protecting privacy of donors to tax-exempt organizations</header><subsection id="HC259CBA926F74B969093CE77DE476D66"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Speech Privacy Act of 2023</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HAD18650E1989412E9F80F9E4B3BBEBF4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Restrictions on collection of donor information</header><paragraph id="HC3ECDE937ACA4270B057A2F170480794"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Restrictions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An entity of the Federal Government may not collect or require the submission of information on the identification of any donor to a tax-exempt organization.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1F5511B05AE34A7C8660AA3768D2D281"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following:</text><subparagraph id="HC79E2CBEA68F48C081BD02F31A134932"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Internal Revenue Service, acting lawfully pursuant to <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor provision.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB9A2478D3837417981402167E1AB20BC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, acting lawfully pursuant to section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1604">2 U.S.C. 1604</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7D244DC4BA674DF1AE64C2531CBC502D"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The Federal Election Commission, acting lawfully pursuant to section 510 of title 36, United States Code.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC2C871AB7C6C41CF8D7006A7367CC33A"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An entity acting pursuant to a lawful order of a court or administrative body which has the authority under law to direct the entity to collect or require the submission of the information, but only to the extent permitted by the lawful order of such court or administrative body.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H46881E56CC164126AE9BCEF7CBA4EC48"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Restrictions on release of donor information</header><paragraph id="H6EF671260E094CC793615E4BB27D1E94"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Restrictions</header><text>An entity of the Federal Government may not disclose to the public information revealing the identification of any donor to a tax-exempt organization.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD004B07743CA44FE804B426BB02EF35B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following:</text><subparagraph id="H7D697406D2CA49BE9AB42E102E762301"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Internal Revenue Service, acting lawfully pursuant to <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6104">section 6104</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor provision.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2B1A16B0831047E3BA7D6D7F2DE2A0A4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, acting lawfully pursuant to section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1604">2 U.S.C. 1604</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8490CA6580334AD0A7E6B76136591B40"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The Federal Election Commission, acting lawfully pursuant to section 510 of title 36, United States Code.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H126DD0E2BE8F4F808873FAA85D9EC2D5"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An entity acting pursuant to a lawful order of a court or administrative body which has the authority under law to direct the entity to disclose the information, but only to the extent permitted by the lawful order of such court or administrative body.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFACFC6C922034F7B83BC6506DA37A542"><enum>(E)</enum><text>An entity which discloses the information as authorized by the organization.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9CA375CFA52D47A5931BF1A48087CC94"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Tax-exempt organization defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, a <quote>tax-exempt organization</quote> means an organization which is described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">section 501(c)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to treat a political organization under section 527 of such Code as a tax-exempt organization for purposes of this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="HE738A97AEE644B89AE7AF868DB4AC4BC"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Penalties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of the United States, or any former officer or employee, willfully to disclose to any person, except as authorized in this section, any information revealing the identification of any donor to a tax-exempt organization. Any violation of this section shall be a felony punishable upon conviction by a fine in any amount not exceeding $250,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution, and if such offense is committed by any officer or employee of the United States, he shall, in addition to any other punishment, be dismissed from office or discharged from employment upon conviction for such offense.</text></subsection></section><section id="H27159709FC6445948B788174DBB2CAB5" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>309.</enum><header>Reporting requirements for tax-exempt organizations</header><subsection id="HFDF0756A79D840B1A13D87CC7A9C4FB6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Don't Weaponize the IRS Act</short-title></quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HC5BB81E251FF435EB462DC1CFAACBF45"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Organizations exempt from reporting</header><paragraph id="HA3287ACE77BB4664BB7994AE4DFE360F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Gross receipts threshold</header><text>Clause (ii) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033(a)(3)(A)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking <quote>$5,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$50,000</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H229694CF088B4DB6A550223F0E4A7EBF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Organizations described</header><text>Subparagraph (C) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033(a)(3)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H17EAFF2EEAF0464892BB22E051906FD5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of clause (v),</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD91FB311DA56471281C1EB7F31CB76E3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end of clause (vi) and inserting a semicolon, and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9B1214E7CAC541B28271F4612791ADB7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clauses:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC19B33BC29B34FFA91B4C2E6954F912A" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H014ECBC5AAE648AE8C0158A0A01B90F3"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>any other organization described in section 501(c) (other than a private foundation or a supporting organization described in section 509(a)(3)); and</text></clause><clause id="H1831EE3316864750A2F5782FEDAE7796"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>any organization (other than a private foundation or a supporting organization described in section 509(a)(3)) which is not described in section 170(c)(2)(A), or which is created or organized in a possession of the United States, which has no significant activity (including lobbying and political activity and the operation of a trade or business) other than investment activity in the United States.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0C35E1C4F5F841CC85CA76F974AEA4A2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2DD8D309225E4467BAC1C0AC57C39582"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clarification of application to section 527 organizations</header><paragraph id="HB490E403651747619C09205C7C8381C1"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Paragraph (1) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033(g)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HC7DFFC450022495BB399674140C63661"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>This section</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, this section</quote>, and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDC64E6A0BC904E0D80B323AB53BB5F70"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>for the taxable year.</quote> and inserting <quote>for the taxable year in the same manner as to an organization exempt from taxation under section 501(a).</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF72206876B9642A0BBF9F55A220576E6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3E26A92EB75744B3867DF6CFF0088124"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Reporting of names and addresses of contributors</header><paragraph id="H32F17121ECC24AC58C827D16DAE2A965"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Paragraph (1) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033(a)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: <quote>Except as provided in subsections (b)(5) and (g)(2)(B), such annual return shall not be required to include the names and addresses of contributors to the organization.</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF96A2B3DFD7A491E87451E77571D0B7A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Application to section 527 organizations</header><text>Paragraph (2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6033">section 6033(g)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H08D5346A7BDE4ABB8C7F2E1D459B00A7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of subparagraph (A),</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8D008DEE74CC4AD98EDD3C28E50C3449"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C), and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA9AFB8003AD043ADA11A7CCA12563E04"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6BA4262656F145DE854EE34C249231BF" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HC8C6709FE6F3451DA5238A9C36433EA1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>containing the names and addresses of all substantial contributors, and</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB76DE94070944340B20C30EDFF709E44"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HF2CE349F5BF14B659CA1B0F44DCAC837"><enum>310.</enum><header>Maintenance of standards for determining eligibility of section 501(c)(4) organizations</header><subsection id="H88C8D64059234351A811A5D1C4374C7A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Department of the Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Service, may not issue, revise, or finalize any regulation, revenue ruling, or other guidance not limited to a particular taxpayer relating to the standard which is used to determine whether an organization is operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare for purposes of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">section 501(c)(4)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (including the proposed regulations published at 78 Fed. Reg. 71535 (November 29, 2013)).</text></subsection><subsection id="HFB712B1AEF714316839540A6678015B1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application of current standards and definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The standard and definitions as in effect on January 1, 2010, which are used to make determinations described in subsection (b) shall apply after the date of the enactment of this Act for purposes of determining status under section 501(c)(4) of such Code of organizations created on, before, or after such date.</text></subsection></section></part></subtitle><subtitle id="HD6E4FF5754404FD0BDCE0C89DDA9C164"><enum>B</enum><header>Prohibition on Use of Federal funds for Congressional Campaigns</header><section id="H7D639C47457047A2B7E4795BAF1DE94F" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>311.</enum><header>Prohibiting use of Federal funds for payments in support of congressional campaigns</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">No Federal funds, including amounts attributable to the collection of fines and penalties, may be used to make any payment in support of a campaign for election for the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.</text></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H6D717622A84D4B0F84D1FCAE00BF40DD"><enum>C</enum><header>Registration and Reporting Requirements</header><section id="H1F9FF9B0A0434B05B2E50F7B3AB49006"><enum>321.</enum><header>Electronic filing of electioneering communication reports</header><subsection id="H91D266BEA0B84BFEAF9C64338E77DCE4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text>This section may be cited as the <quote>Modernizing Electioneering Communications Reporting Act</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H3987907337664F348CD50575F6E5F7DA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requiring electronic filing</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 304(a)(11)(A)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30104">52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(11)(A)(i)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>or makes electioneering communications</quote> after <quote>expenditures</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="H8CED048DA04B4FBDB2CF577525413F51"><enum>322.</enum><header>Increased qualifying threshold and establishing purpose for political committees</header><subsection id="H30A2B8C7A5F140D5BAAE24D96A07A387"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(4) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(4)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HCB672150D5E14B7B9FFB3FDFC324D7A9" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H6D625ABE060F4B468CB18C7856DAB78F" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The term <term>political committee</term> means—</text><subparagraph id="HE817663F2908459FBAEABB6288B289D7"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any committee, club, association, or other group of persons, including any local committee of a political party, which receives contributions aggregating in excess of $25,000 during a calendar year or which makes expenditures aggregating in excess of $25,000 during a calendar year and which is under the control of a candidate or has the major purpose of nominating or electing a candidate; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2B6740A5262443F8B19678880C9C20BF"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any separate segregated fund established under the provisions of section 316(b). </text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H00CC20EE25C2436BA4DEDFE2FE8D403A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>Section 301 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HC47BBF85E0034B71BA3BAC5DDC811BF6" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="H7630AD125B254622943B7BDFE0C7FD14"><enum>(27)</enum><header>Major purpose of nominating or electing a candidate</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>major purpose of nominating or electing a candidate</term> means, with respect to a group of persons described in paragraph (4)(A)—</text><subparagraph id="H44080AD26AE44F8AA874CFD8AAD62BE0"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a group whose central organizational purpose is to expressly advocate for the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE6918858B7264E5AB0BECE4660DD4560"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a group for which the majority of its spending throughout its lifetime of existence has been on contributions, expenditures, or independent expenditures.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H59D1ACD896434F08B26F182108956030"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Price index adjustment for political committee threshold</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>), as amended by section 304(b), is amended—</text><paragraph id="H189666EF3FD24A76AFA7161DD6D1BC4B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HF94D131A5C0A4A5FB6D0F2D5E1449398" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="H8867FC4FA05D48979444BE3D52D09A72" indent="up2"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any calendar year after 2024—</text><clause id="H7C5EF00E39CF4E9F8CE0C9B290535DEE"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a threshold established by sections 301(4)(A) or 301(4)(C) shall be increased by the percent difference determined under subparagraph (A);</text></clause><clause id="H13BDCA48BE1346F8870484F76EFE82B0"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each amount so increased shall remain in effect for the calendar year; and</text></clause><clause id="H6F59DCEE2DF64BBC9C71BDE33A4A0386"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if any amount after adjustment under clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H06793D636F64414A9CE4D32A27DB27A9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)—</text><subparagraph id="HB556ABB858ED473891324C534F5B9167"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA6C6F51A8B7B469D83844D956F5B4374"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9B61B3C07EF940A5B4E506C269A7172A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H33C18861BD4A4CBE881B19E062D7C8C1" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H6EFE5C87881744A49C88F76E1482C530" indent="up1"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for purposes of sections 301(4)(A) and 301(4)(C), calendar year 2024. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8CFDDEB13D0C4222854E1EC3422A52F9"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1DC43152D00844BAAD5F0E7FC961C521"><enum>323.</enum><header>Increased threshold with respect to independent expenditure reporting requirement</header><subsection id="H2A32E8B7F10B4DBB997056569DED6D33"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 304(c)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30104">52 U.S.C. 30104(c)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>$250</quote> and inserting <quote>$1,000</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="H848E955FBB9B4383AD7B9340D02D6C92"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Price index adjustment for independent expenditure reporting threshold</header><text>Section 315(c) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>), as amended by sections 304(b) and 322(c), is amended—</text><paragraph id="HA8B5B4722070409396451C5217728E74"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H35A98D912F9D40FE851F58A274D29A1B" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="H5393BA304AE94E89B12A850606E0A89C" indent="up2"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any calendar year after 2024—</text><clause id="H76010C346B394EF4A4E285E60CB97C23"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a threshold established by section 304(c)(1) shall be increased by the percent difference determined under subparagraph (A);</text></clause><clause id="HE28385355AC84167AAC202E45A08F143"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each amount so increased shall remain in effect for the calendar year; and</text></clause><clause id="H62522DC4350E4F4F9539746EDFA1C537"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if any amount after adjustment under clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HEBBC6B2ADE2F4CD1BC0FA5268E738BC1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)—</text><subparagraph id="H7E12CBCA7FB646AA9EBD7902C06BDFE9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (iii), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6159ACF8E8C14A3C93F4110F8A3D3D38"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4AD9C9B7DABC425183626123A39AAA4D"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H7CE7AD6EB6D34C1BB0CEE67A69A5C97C" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="HBAC6FF77D70841669B8B8093ED5B0BF7" indent="up1"><enum>(v)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for purposes of section 304(c)(1), calendar year 2024. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC6FB24C9FE8141D98BA60F5CC1125480"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="H64BC40E6F6904504859B221030F2B27E"><enum>324.</enum><header>Increased qualifying threshold with respect to candidates</header><subsection id="HDDE23D6D95694F62A3B5E1DF4CB80E0A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Increase in threshold</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(2) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>$5,000</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HA4281EBD34FE46518E734122F2BD0FE2" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Price index adjustment for exemption of certain amounts as contributions</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>), as amended by sections 304(b), 322(c), and 323(b), is amended—</text><paragraph id="H9319FF882BBF457A87DE9B33F2963F17"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H7069CBB550A443DAAED7F6A9CDEAA5D0" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HBAAEA70B28AE4A8BA3545A607481F595" indent="up2"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any calendar year after 2024—</text><clause id="HD5386B8290EB485D9652ABAB6BA09A1F"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a threshold established by sections 301(2) shall be increased by the percent difference determined under subparagraph (A);</text></clause><clause id="HF823CA86890C419F8358570C3C2348DC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each amount so increased shall remain for the 2-year period that begins on the first day following the date of the general election in the year preceding the year in which the amount is increased and ending on the date of the next general election; and</text></clause><clause id="H4CB65BFAF9344386814547CA236B9017"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if any amount after adjustment under clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H1509BC40707846739D1F6306B6ACAE5D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)—</text><subparagraph id="H4CEEC8071CD045A9B7A7B6543ED8A3D2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (iv), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H83045E9FB3494CCA94E875D876502885"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (v), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA6C2A787182A4D59993A4656D80D4B33"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HFD33EAC00B2A4C2580F5F7F9E8D7DA72" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H85AD0BB53B5A453A9F907DC548AB1EF3" indent="up1"><enum>(vi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for purposes of section 301(2), calendar year 2024. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA2C51784DFA24EC3AA43BB880D4E72C6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="HA99CCD0362574B11BBFD14520AFF453A"><enum>325.</enum><header>Repeal requirement of persons making independent expenditures to report identification of certain donors</header><subsection id="HAAC9A406DD0742EBBAEDF4322E2329F9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Repeal</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 304(c)(2) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30104">52 U.S.C. 30104(c)(2)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HCA153CA473F44FD59A8D5FDCC44698CB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by adding <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2DAB7792E25F4BF4A32EEF2073DA6ED0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by striking <quote>; and</quote> and inserting a period; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB76A2BE37DD54405BA74919B0DE15757"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (C).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H575F939FA1CB49F5B456C1E710E2EF89"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Section 304(c)(1) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30104">52 U.S.C. 30104(c)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>the information required under subsection (b)(3)(A) for all contributions received by such person</quote> and inserting <quote>the information required under paragraph (2)</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="HD3181D707FFC4041BB55C169548FEB30"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to independent expenditures made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="HE97AB57391A74B03929B1A5779CCEA4F"><enum>D</enum><header>Exclusion of Certain Amounts from Treatment as Contributions or Expenditures</header><section id="HA8F152849AEB455C886C404A524ED935"><enum>331.</enum><header>Increased threshold for exemption of certain amounts as contributions</header><subsection id="HC2EC2B9773C44ACEBDA5EE164A31B418"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Real or personal property exemption</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(8)(B)(ii) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(8)(B)(ii)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H535276C671C34DBDBC23D3374DACE545"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>$1,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$2,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9CC887C20343454FA508BE733CA29B5C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$2,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$4,000</quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H995A56A952794063878F3F56EEE5AAC4" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Travel expenses exemption</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(8)(B)(iv) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(8)(B)(iv)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H036B4A47585C4897B8049D2B3DF12A35"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>$1,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$2,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3F000567BBE54119AB8B958669531877"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>$2,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$4,000</quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA242DEC1F0E6463EA6BE86F232E445A6" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Price index adjustment for exemption of certain amounts as contributions</header><text>Section 315(c) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(c)</external-xref>), as amended by sections 304(b), 322(c), 323(b), and 324(b) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H6ED08D6D46E64903BD3D11B2ECFE18B3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H4FCA7FB01A2F4B5DBA6268FA9EB527EE" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="H5A110A361F124D8A93375FBDD4B75F12" indent="up2"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any calendar year after 2024—</text><clause id="H247CC33B15F547F790A67EB6BC94E813"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the exemption amounts established by sections 301(8)(B)(ii) or 301(8)(B)(iv) shall be increased by the percent difference determined under subparagraph (A);</text></clause><clause id="H168FB5C5B1EA4FC49B0B5CD734942BFA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">each amount so increased shall remain for the 2-year period that begins on the first day following the date of the general election in the year preceding the year in which the amount is increased and ending on the date of the next general election; and</text></clause><clause id="HB61F6AF44E44449C8A602221AEC11BB8"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if any amount after adjustment under clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HFCB4FAEF21474177B4E5FB7CD7ACE869"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(B)—</text><subparagraph id="HE16ED146316F4122A42054C9FBF23200"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in clause (v), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCA96E637ED3A4179AD9176968A9D97FD"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H09917861B3534BD09D489AD84BFA854A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="HD6C5249C6474417DB16D6CA41D289ECC" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H84B9755C62AB480980FB0730B7AF4FBD" indent="up1"><enum>(vii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for purposes of section 301(8)(B)(ii) or 301(8)(B)(iv), calendar year 2024. </text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1030926B44C4494C9BE5EE3F19435BCC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="HBC1FFA5AB3294BF2A68A20E7C4185FF2"><enum>332.</enum><header>Exemption of uncompensated internet communications from treatment as contribution or expenditure</header><subsection id="H119A1E59F6A041948B2AD2D4FFDF676A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Exemptions</header><paragraph id="HB585C5A3714F4E5DB249BC8B32D4CA2E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Exemption from treatment as contribution</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(8)(B) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(8)(B)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HE618871C37874C4FB0CBC5625D58DBC7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of clause (xiii);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1B45601D5A9C46A586F90084763A2E0F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end of clause (xiv) and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA24643770F5E45798EE2A820ADC32BA9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H1386CAB3811B453289372FCC1DC8F64B" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H2AE872B15D28495B8883D633F23EA1B0" indent="up2"><enum>(xv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any payment by any person in producing and disseminating any information or communication on the Internet, Internet platform or other Internet-enabled application, unless the information or communication is disseminated for a fee on another person’s website, platform or other Internet-enabled application, whether coordinated or not.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3D1DF26D4B3942FB85C6D78DD8B12F7C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exemption from treatment as expenditure</header><text>Section 301(9)(B) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(9)(B)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="H54C63B73E0AE4DB0AF22E59DF2716B54"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of clause (ix);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAA5B1469D4B145A491D0922C87CAD7AC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end of clause (x) and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCFAD000812084D1A870506E3A57C4A19"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H5ADD3770CA0A4AE188C53C61CFFCBE47" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="H6439E045084D47AD9D3E3BE2DF3695E3" indent="up2"><enum>(xi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any cost incurred by any person in producing and disseminating any information or communication on the Internet, Internet platform or other Internet-enabled application, unless the information or communication is disseminated for a fee on another person’s website, platform or other Internet-enabled application.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBFE377857DBE4224A4C9D65EA1E0BDC4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application to definition of public communications</header><text>Section 301(22) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(22)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following: <quote>In the previous sentence, the terms <term>public communication</term> and <term>general public political advertising</term> do not include communications disseminated over the Internet or via an Internet platform or other Internet-enabled application, unless the communication or advertising is disseminated for a fee on another person’s website, platform or other internet-enabled application.</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HB962EE00743E477E9A4891FEDA4BB944"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section><section id="H74A45E64BDA146078BF3EC2474C9D530"><enum>333.</enum><header>Media exemption</header><subsection id="H1A28FBA160364835B1CDA7B3AA601701"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Expansion of exemption to additional forms of media</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(9)(B)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(9)(B)(i)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H96C365FD69EC4ACD97D711A87337590D" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="HD910593FEDF54403BBF048E2628D3DA5" indent="up1"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting, cable, satellite, or internet-based station, programmer, operator or producer; newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publisher; electronic publisher, platform, or application; book publisher; or filmmaker or film producer, distributor or exhibitor, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H9A58D21BB5E8417CB346FAE5DAC03501"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Application to contributions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 301(8)(B) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(8)(B)</external-xref>), as amended by section 332(a)(1), is amended—</text><paragraph id="HCD636925D61D474285C6821A1FA1BEBC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating clauses (i) through (xv) as clauses (ii) through (xvi); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H34253999986B46A7BA0FA2C87CE6B29E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting before clause (ii) (as so redesignated) the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="HF1B1DA3D4C964D54846C22068064BB9F" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><clause id="HAE46C16F719D4F04885965C68DE4AAE1" indent="up2"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any payment for any news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcasting, cable, satellite, or internet-based station, programmer, operator or producer; newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publisher; electronic publisher, platform, or application; book publisher; or filmmaker or film producer, distributor or exhibitor;</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6185E75EEDA24EAC82ACDB87933C3891"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to elections held during 2024 or any succeeding year.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H1E2CADFA7F314F0EBD5B4A6F9A9DA136"><enum>E</enum><header>Prohibition on Issuance of Regulations on Political Contributions</header><section id="HCA6849E275FB434CACD1F519136A90BB"><enum>341.</enum><header>Prohibition on issuance of regulations on Political Contributions</header><subsection id="HF4A410CFF6E743ACB4506FAB8C3D0C05"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H34F9D336AADF4E3188DC5B06ACA0F749"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">From 2010 through 2013, the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative organizations seeking tax-exempt status. The result of this targeting was obvious—to discourage conservative organizations and individuals associated with them from engaging in the 2012 presidential election after an incredibly successful 2010 midterm election. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HADE89309FC1145CA9DFB8293465A359A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In response to this treatment, a large number of conservative organizations sued the Internal Revenue Service. In 2017, a settlement was reached and the Internal Revenue Service was required to issue an apology for its actions. </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H23C7BDE0F2924EE688DB599DC88F7E71"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Congress quickly recognized that the Internal Revenue Service was not the only government agency that could question or threaten the tax-exempt status of disfavored political groups. The Securities and Exchange Commission, an independent government agency, also enjoys some regulatory power in this area.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H40202F52DE7C4FF8A91504864CE500E2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Beginning in 2015, Congress has included in every appropriations bill that has funded the Securities and Exchange Commission, an appropriations rider prohibiting the agency from using any of the funds made available to <quote>finalize, issue, or implement any rule, regulation, or order regarding the disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax exempt organizations, or dues paid to trade associations.</quote><italic>See</italic> Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, H.R. 2029, 114th Cong. § 1 (2015); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, H.R. 244, 115th Cong. § 1 (2017); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, H.R. 1625, 115th Cong. § 2 (2018); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, H.J. Res. 31, 116th Cong. § 1 (2019); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, H.R. 1158, 116th Cong. § 1 (2019); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 133, 116th Cong. § 2 (2020); Consolidated Appropriations Act 2022, H.R. 2471, 117th Cong. § 2 (2022); Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, H.R. 2617, 117th Cong. § 2 (2022).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCD7118E3B7C24C7A9BEE0A4FE8042174"><enum>(5)</enum><text>This prohibition is too important to be subject to yearly renewal. Instead, it must be enacted into permanent law so political organizations of both political parties can rest assured the Securities and Exchange Commission will not target them.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H19A1F103E4BA46F48B5A997D6E612D1F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Securities and Exchange Commission may not finalize, issue, or implement any rule, regulation, or order regarding the disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax exempt organizations, or dues paid to trade associations.</text></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="HD6D8ED4916D74BFAB4557923AFC9511E"><enum>F</enum><header>Miscellaneous Provisions</header><section id="HCCEFD7FD156148C69A1D74E0AF6B548F"><enum>351.</enum><header>Permanent extension of fines for qualified disclosure requirement violations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 309(a)(4)(C)(v) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30109">52 U.S.C. 30109(a)(4)(C)(v)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>, and that end on or before December 31, 2023</quote>.</text></section><section id="H47FADA3F57874A51AE0A1B4C7C69EED8"><enum>352.</enum><header>Permitting political committees to make disbursements by methods other than check</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 302(h)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30102">52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>except by check drawn on such accounts in accordance with this section</quote> and inserting <quote>except from such accounts</quote>. </text></section><section id="H081E108071274463938E6F475C02E342" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>353.</enum><header>Designation of individual authorized to make campaign committee disbursements in event of death or incapacity of candidate</header><subsection id="H7405612245934AB7AAB3FACFBB4B5876"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text>Section 302 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30102">52 U.S.C. 30102</external-xref>), as amended by section 306(b), is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H61C6EE8A10DB443DA3FFA34A22ED4174" style="OLC" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="HE29E2F4C3A834283B36DC870CA1BDB1D"><enum>(k)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H6C33585AA3094239A65DC2518E29F4FF"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each candidate may, with respect to each authorized committee of the candidate, designate an individual who shall be responsible for disbursing funds in the accounts of the committee in the event of the death or incapacity of the candidate, and may also designate another individual to carry out the responsibilities of the designated individual under this subsection in the event of the death or incapacity of the designated individual or the unwillingness of the designated individual to carry out the responsibilities.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H694A693E29FE4421825B9F73A0E6CB28" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In order to designate an individual under this subsection, the candidate shall file with the Commission a signed written statement (in a standardized form developed by the Commission, and including any applicable supporting documentation, including a will or trust document) that contains the name and address of the individual and the name of the authorized committee for which the designation shall apply, and that may contain the candidate’s instructions regarding the lawful disbursement of the funds involved by the individual. At any time after filing the statement, the candidate may revoke the designation of an individual by filing with the Commission a signed written statement of revocation (in a standardized form developed by the Commission).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4DC3641F659F49FF950B98218445C987" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HCD515428DF484AA28772C4C2A2A4D122"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Upon the death or incapacity of a candidate who has designated an individual for purposes of paragraph (1), funds in the accounts of each authorized committee of the candidate may be disbursed only under the direction and in accordance with the instructions of such individual, subject to the terms and conditions applicable to the disbursement of such funds under this Act or any other applicable Federal or State law (other than any provision of State law which authorizes any person other than such individual to direct the disbursement of such funds).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H63C7DD3A0A2B412986F1D03D7DFC96E0" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Subparagraph (A) does not apply with respect to an authorized committee if, at the time of the candidate’s death or incapacity, the authorized committee has a treasurer or a designated agent of the treasurer as described in section 302(a), unless the treasurer or designated agent is incapacitated or cannot be reached by the authorized committee.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5A90D63474D84917831BB6437BEB67AB" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to grant any authority to an individual who is designated pursuant to this subsection other than the authority to direct the disbursement of funds as provided in such paragraph, or may be construed to affect the responsibility of the treasurer of an authorized committee for which funds are disbursed in accordance with such paragraph to file reports of the disbursements of such funds under section 304(a).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H4D25F9659ECB4AD484DC0F1576092736"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Inclusion of Designation in Statement of Organization of Committee</header><text>Section 303(b) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30103">52 U.S.C. 30103(b)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H0454272DB0164CC7951DC4F9544B057C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (5), by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H21935867BA3C45F9AD43867204FC60E0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5C19209B4CE2445197CBD28128274E09"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H97BC701C76DC4AA9AEF2DFB06D9C260C" style="OLC" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HE134DEF1FDFC41189525AF0217796AB8"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of an authorized committee of a candidate who has designated an individual under section 302(k) (including a second individual designated to carry out the responsibilities of that individual under such section in the event of that individual’s death or incapacity or unwillingness to carry out the responsibilities) to disburse funds from the accounts of the committee in the event of the death of the candidate, a copy of the statement filed by the candidate with the Commission under such section (as well as a copy of any subsequent statement of revocation filed by the candidate with the Commission under such section).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2C5AC4868ABD4B3F969FD7E720ED3569" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective Date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to authorized campaign committees which are designated under section 302(e)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="H2B383205A63B475AA81B85F14809C75A"><enum>354.</enum><header>Prohibiting aiding or abetting making of contributions in name of another</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 320 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30122">52 U.S.C. 30122</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: <quote>No person shall knowingly direct, help, or assist any person in making a contribution in the name of another person.</quote>.</text></section><section id="H0C98BD68CEA5408CAAF1079FCF8700AF"><enum>355.</enum><header>Unanimous consent of Commission members required for Commission to refuse to defend actions brought against Commission</header><subsection id="HB39D161642A846608C672B22C27D3AEB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Unanimous consent</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 307 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30107">52 U.S.C. 30107</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="HB693897B753B4DE3A100852CDAA8A40D" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subsection id="H736B6533768B4E3A9680255699A39BCA"><enum>(f)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD4D09B190A4F4550BC02A43C2EBDFFA1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Commission shall defend each action brought against the Commission under this Act or chapter 95 and 96 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986—</text><subparagraph id="HFFBD9527FB5B4822B33D143D4BE24149" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>through the General Counsel, as provided in subsection (a)(6);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1D2F232E4EF44558A2F9DE29EBEB41EB" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by appointing counsel as provided in section 306(f)(4); or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3C2215E8AA0B4EE3BAF238279FF02BE7" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by referral to the Attorney General in the case of a criminal action.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD7A65DF40B894AE0A3DC4DF52D7EA3DA" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Commission may refuse to defend an action brought against the Commission pursuant to the unanimous vote of its Members.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H3E24F763D2F640639BFCE18348155D25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to actions brought on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="HAC85CE33DD204AFEB7ED5A4B65B6B843"><enum>356.</enum><header>Federal Election Commission member pay</header><subsection id="HBAD5A5E39B094AA8AA464B9C8279D698"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Determination of rate of pay</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 306(a)(4) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30106">52 U.S.C. 30106(a)(4)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H49705EDA0CB046EBA3FD9EBE81FFE402"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(4) Members</quote> and inserting <quote>(4)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), members</quote>; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="H514EA762360641219E871436081E98C6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>equivalent to the compensation paid at level IV of the Executive Schedule (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/5315">5 U.S.C. 5315</external-xref>)</quote> and inserting <quote>at an annual rate of basic pay of $186,300, as adjusted under section 5318 of title 5, United States Code, in the same manner as the annual rate of pay for positions at each level of the Executive Schedule, which may not be varied or suspended by executive action</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2F08D01EBD5A4DDBAE53358D982930B7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H80544EE29F144853A2AF01C01391F68F" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><subparagraph id="HEE36B110405B4BCBAFA4A2B1FD873CAE" indent="up2"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A member who serves on the Commission after the expiration of the member’s term because the member’s successor has not taken office may not receive any increase in compensation under this subsection for any pay period occurring after the expiration of the 4-year period which begins on the date of the expiration of the member’s term. A member shall no longer be subject to the previous sentence if the member is appointed to a new term and takes office pursuant to that appointment.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB9BBB6495CEB4685BF848AD94FBFE643" indent="up2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A member shall be permitted to hold a position at an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/20/1001">20 U.S.C. 1001</external-xref>) if—</text><clause id="H1D4B64302CFD486A90349C67D248891B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the General Counsel of the Commission determines that such position does not create a conflict of interest with the member’s position as a sitting member of the Commission and grants the member approval to hold the position; and</text></clause><clause id="H39475AB96F4D41429E683F5E7964FD7B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the annual rate of compensation received by the individual from such institution is not greater than the amount equal to 49.9% of the annual rate of basic pay paid to the member under this paragraph.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3EEE2736ED894FD2BB22C5273757081A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clarification of authority to serve additional terms</header><text>Section 306(a)(2) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30106">52 U.S.C. 30106(a)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>shall serve for a single term of 6 years</quote> and inserting <quote>shall be appointed for terms of 6 years</quote>. </text></subsection></section><section id="H44D92084DCCC4B8DB3FAF88305569901"><enum>357.</enum><header>Uniform statute of limitations for proceedings to enforce Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971</header><subsection id="H1E7B02E6D87F49E2B0E4874F683597AB"><enum>(a)</enum><header>5-year limitation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 406(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30145">52 U.S.C. 30145(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HA06885BCE6E84F5687BD2C4296BD828B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>(a)</quote> and inserting <quote>(a)(1)</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD601E07306DE42D9A3D6FE47B37A0B15"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="traditional" id="H9D85F80D1B1442B79847EAE723665318" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><paragraph id="HE22269EDA0BE4C8B8FC5DC599D5DC9DB" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>No person shall be subject to a civil penalty for any violation of title III of this Act unless the proceeding is initiated in accordance with section 309 not later than 5 years after the date on which the violation occurred.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H35BCF0A28020400A952EF703B74FA80F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to violations occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section><section id="H5C386B29EB154AEA9F9ADCB8A6E18F3A"><enum>358.</enum><header>Theft from political committee as a Federal crime</header><subsection id="HC531BCA2EA6E4D9C8538966B33C1BCF5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Federal crime</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/29">Chapter 29</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, as amended by section 161(b), is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="H37FAFE7891914A3CA3AABE05AED018BA" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><section id="HDACE681882504694B85AC7E68DD51E66"><enum>613.</enum><header>Theft from political committee</header><subsection id="HE92C3A264C7A41ACA71F9F99DDACF2A7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It shall be unlawful to remove, without appropriate authorization, any funds or any other item of value from an account maintained for the benefit of a candidate for Federal office or the candidate’s political committee (as such term is defined in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101</external-xref>)).</text></subsection><subsection id="HD05552B7317D47CDB1B775F8A5D9AE91"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Penalty</header><text>Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $250,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H35F4A989484C49AEB42157C2AA64FD1F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical amendment</header><text>The table of sections for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/29">chapter 29</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="USC" id="H068DC98C729146B280D0D00BCD7860B8" display-inline="no-display-inline" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc regeneration="no-regeneration" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="HHA00"><toc-entry level="section">613. Theft from political committee.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="HE1123B8887114C9593174295DB782E0C"><enum>359.</enum><header>Repeal of obsolete provisions of law</header><subsection id="H0FDB3C82CA0041BAA131DD979CB73459"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Provisions held unconstitutional</header><paragraph id="H2F47A1DAA39E42398D6A769DA85CA3AE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Membership of Secretary of Senate and Clerk of House on Federal Election Commission</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 306(a)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30106">52 U.S.C. 30106(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives or their designees, ex officio and without the right to vote, and</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA46F2CD2AD584069A48C243F6BCD6DC9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Prohibiting contributions by minors</header><text>The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is amended by striking section 324 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30126">52 U.S.C. 30126</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBCAB8DB5C4794481961FD5B99EF42003"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Increase in contribution limits for candidates in response to personal fund expenditures by opponents</header><subparagraph id="H07D6397B267A4FCB90A216182615473D"><enum>(A)</enum><header>House candidates</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is amended by striking section 315A (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30117">52 U.S.C. 30117</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC2A4F7BE2CF143A1B19B731229F0FDEF"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Senate candidates</header><text>Section 315 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116</external-xref>) is amended—</text><clause id="H93099B3566714250A1C6BF9EC21C3725"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking subsection (i); and</text></clause><clause id="H9F97EDC090AF42BB8BE55BAD3124211D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (i).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2533D0877BE04412B56DCF9F0AD3D16C"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to notification</header><text>Section 304(a)(6) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30104">52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(6)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><clause id="HC61A0C842B5547E9AAF9CDCBDBF4F930"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D); and</text></clause><clause id="HC2F8CA3C1432495CBE3A421951B7792B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (B).</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2799B05FCA6F4B97825BC875CD998F2A"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Conforming amendment relating to definitions</header><text>Section 301(25) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30101">52 U.S.C. 30101(25)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>For purposes of sections 315(i) and 315A and paragraph (26), the term</quote> and inserting <quote>The term</quote>. </text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5F9974E60FB445BD89412002B3534154"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Other conforming amendment</header><text>Section 315(a)(1) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>Except as provided in subsection (i) and section 315A, no person</quote> and inserting <quote>No person</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4EFDD69D2FEE4F0E920A942A917DB234"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Electioneering communications and independent expenditures by corporations and labor organizations</header><text>Section 316 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30117">52 U.S.C. 30117</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="HA261616B2C3B4AF589D04BCBB0C23BB4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(2), by striking <quote>or for any applicable electioneering communication</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9E14083333564076857E600499A22B8D"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking subsection (c).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3C87C68C45764F49BFAD6FAAE08C71E5"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Limitation on repayment of personal loans</header><text>Section 315 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30116">52 U.S.C. 30116</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (i), as redesignated by paragraph (4)(B)(ii).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9288C58185C7497C83D23409113A643C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Provisions relating to use of Presidential Election Campaign Fund for party nominating conventions</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/9008">Section 9008</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><paragraph id="H498D989CD63E48D0AABA38B1BF4F4730"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (3); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5CBAB9A870344BB3A16B1A62BC09FDA6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8EDC879A6A6D49F2A4B4D892C2DE17D8"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Technical correction</header><paragraph id="H614C49C70DB3424EAAE95652E1181AA5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Sections 307 and 309 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30107 and 30109) are each amended by striking <quote>subpena</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>subpoena</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEFFA7976623D4028B221C7BDF77126FB"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 309(a)(7) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/30109">52 U.S.C. 30109(a)(7)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>subpenas</quote> and inserting <quote>subpoenas</quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HA1B5C04C1DFE49CAB6EB505832795759"><enum>360.</enum><header>Deadline for promulgation of proposed regulations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Election Commission shall publish in the Federal Register proposed regulations to carry out this title and the amendments made by this title.</text></section></subtitle><enum>IV</enum><header>Election Security</header><subtitle id="H4CDC0755C3474D67B34B8F8E921EE3F6"><enum>A</enum><header>Promoting Election Security</header><section id="HE246A57732CC4586BE4B06FE372F06B6"><enum>401.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote>Election Security Assistance Act</quote>. </text></section><section id="HEE3268B8360840A28C336262296AB123" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>402.</enum><header>Reports to Congress on foreign threats to elections</header><subsection id="H83CB03881C654741826AF4F870D95A14"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and 30 days after the end of each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the heads of the appropriate Federal entities, shall submit a joint report to the appropriate congressional committees and the chief State election official of each State on foreign threats to elections in the United States, including physical and cybersecurity threats.</text></subsection><subsection id="H2A3121F680EF4EF89AC38F70C8D1EAC7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Voluntary participation by States</header><text>The Secretary shall solicit and consider voluntary comments from all State election agencies. Participation by an election agency in the report under this section shall be voluntary and at the discretion of the State.</text></subsection><subsection id="HE1F11F718CF04328AD921238281F5A90"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Appropriate Federal entities</header><text>In this section, the term <term>appropriate Federal entities</term> means—</text><paragraph id="H22F0732C04B546759C873CF773BAD4B6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Department of Commerce, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H44C160F4C9444C0DA641EE39F530C81C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Department of Defense;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H6398D3DA3993444792CCAA20F5751F4B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Department of Homeland Security, including the component of the Department that reports to the Under Secretary responsible for overseeing critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and other related programs of the Department;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H489FDBF9F7F544F5AE55F0BA1BA5FA48"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2D16C0161F2F438A99DD2E8ECBEC7656"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the Election Assistance Commission; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3158CC008FC045C4B41F2707DF015256"><enum>(6)</enum><text>the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency, and such other elements of the intelligence community (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/3003">50 U.S.C. 3003</external-xref>)) as the Director of National Intelligence determines are appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF7D7F7BFB7A74029AEED35DB2D667C2B"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Other definitions</header><text>In this section—</text><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H34A5CFAC6EAE4B64B312A509343A3BA6"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>appropriate congressional committees</term> means—</text><subparagraph id="H6F525C87BF3644FE83899FD1FF00F940"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Committee on Rules and Administration, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF5FD38E903B0453E91442845A4339ECC"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on House Administration, the Committee on Homeland Security, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8740A81ABFF447668A413299C10E3846"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term <term>chief State election official</term> means, with respect to a State, the individual designated by the State under section 10 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/20509">52 U.S.C. 20509</external-xref>) to be responsible for coordination of the State’s responsibilities under such Act;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HFD10BA718B054573873DDAADFEE1D299"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>election agency</term> means any component of a State or any component of a unit of local government of a State that is responsible for administering Federal elections;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H970BD610C3D44BA9B5810933E54D19E3"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of Homeland Security; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD2225AC581BB41C594B7AC763DD94FBA"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>State</term> has the meaning given such term in section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/52/21141">52 U.S.C. 21141</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H3747FF6002314A3E8A035F9F436A2E14"><enum>403.</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this title may be construed as authorizing the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out the administration of an election for Federal office.</text></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H915E66ECEA994DFA87B694C9E831F488"><enum>B</enum><header>Cybersecurity for Election Systems</header><section id="HFBC158063D4D440B846633CECFB4FD2C"><enum>411.</enum><header>Cybersecurity advisories relating to election systems</header><subsection id="HE01432003DDE4CB5B1223ACA8C02CBE5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Cybersecurity advisories</header><paragraph id="HAB72C4ED55044533BDE067653C0D478E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security (in this subtitle referred to as the <quote>Director</quote>) shall provide notification to the Election Assistance Commission (in this subtitle referred to as the <quote>Commission</quote>) if the Director is determining whether an advisory relating to the cybersecurity of election systems used in the administration of elections for Federal office or the cybersecurity of elections for Federal office generally is necessary. If such a determination is made in the affirmative, the Director shall coordinate with the Election Assistance Commission on the timing of the release of the advisory.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA677B42B08B247CD8478AA40639F9426"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text>The Director may not issue an advisory described in paragraph (1) unless the Commission has provided input relating thereto.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4289E03170E84B3EB67945ADF44DD0C2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Notification</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Director issues an advisory described in subsection (a), the Director, in collaboration with the Commission, shall provide to appropriate State election officials and vendors of covered voting systems notification relating thereto.</text></subsection></section><section id="HFE48FC89C6F94E12B4158414BAC133B0"><enum>412.</enum><header>Process to test for cybersecurity vulnerabilities in election equipment</header><subsection id="HE82C36214E234C93B1EE024E8A32C894" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Process for covered voting systems</header><paragraph id="HFE92818BDA9945669174E39BF84C6C31"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director and the Commission (in consultation with the Technical Guidelines Development Committee and the Standards Board of the Commission), shall jointly establish a voluntary process to test covered voting systems for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Such process shall include the following:</text><subparagraph id="H6A85EA3156B346A5B035A09B9043B7D6" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Mitigation strategies and other remedies.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8B082EB162394162A923B19BAD7E4C21" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notice to the Commission and appropriate entities of the results of testing conducted pursuant to such process.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H295EF9F9DB7D441A88EF79F05D98F25D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The Director shall implement the process established under paragraph (1) at the request of the Commission.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2E7BA94D40BF46579A7E346F06FFD86D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Labeling for voting systems</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission (in consultation with the Technical Guidelines Development Committee and the Standards Board of the Commission), shall establish a process to provide for the deployment of appropriate labeling available through the website of the Commission to indicate that covered voting systems passed the most recent cybersecurity testing pursuant to the process established under subsection (a).</text></subsection><subsection id="H3AE0C8D54A924C9C8A639A1138CBAE82"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rules of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The process established under subsection (a), including the results of any testing carried out pursuant to this section, shall not affect—</text><paragraph id="HB4538B0B76CC4493801257114BC9E99F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the certification status of equipment used in the administration of an election for Federal office under the Help America Vote Act of 2002; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEF09A8D4D1714A11A2442DAEF886B6A2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the authority of the Commission to so certify such equipment under such Act.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H466AFFC3F2764EBBA2E1749A8F034300"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Exclusive authority of Election Assistance Commission with respect to guidelines and certification of covered voting systems</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No entity of the Federal Government other than the Election Assistance Commission may issue guidelines with respect to the minimum standards for the testing, certification, decertification, and recertification of covered voting systems. </text></subsection><subsection id="H3CF8AA4E1127457F9826A81C1B464D93"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>covered voting systems</term> means equipment used in the administration of an election for Federal office that is certified in accordance with versions of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and includes any related nonvoting election technology, as defined in section 298C of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by section 129(b).</text></subsection></section><section id="HBDEAD3EF391D452295A3F6558A53CE37" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>413.</enum><header>Sense of Congress regarding need to notify State and local officials of election cybersecurity incidents</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that, because the Constitution tasks the Federal Government with the primary responsibility to protect national security and reserves to the States and tasks them with the duty to establish election law and to administer Federal elections, it is imperative that the relevant Federal officials communicate regularly and clearly with State and local officials who are administering Federal elections.</text></section></subtitle><enum>V</enum><header>Congressional Redistricting</header><section id="HD1300F22DA9441BFB0DB67445F0F6FAE"><enum>501.</enum><header>Sense of Congress on authority to establish maps of congressional districts</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that, while Congress is authorized under the Constitution of the United States to ensure that congressional redistricting is carried out in a manner consistent with the Constitution, only a State has the authority to establish maps of the congressional districts of the State and to determine the procedures and criteria used to establish such maps.</text></section><section id="H34451AC0EE3947388DB35681E0E4971E"><enum>502.</enum><header>Authority for Speaker of the House to join certain civil actions relating to apportionment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Speaker's designee or designees may commence or join in a civil action, for and on behalf of the House of Representatives, under any applicable law, to prevent the use of any statistical method, in connection with the decennial census, to determine the population for purposes of the apportionment or redistricting of Members in Congress. It shall be the duty of the Office of the General Counsel of the House of Representatives to represent the House in such civil action, according to the directions of the Speaker. The Office of the General Counsel of the House of Representatives may employ the services of outside counsel and other experts for this purpose.</text></section><section id="H86C3E95B4A4A47938F2B51D151E33CCE"><enum>503.</enum><header>Census Monitoring Board</header><subsection id="HDC285D0791C24BEE9F360E7BF59E5341" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This section may be cited as the <quote>Citizen Census Monitoring Board Permanent Authorization Act of 2023</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="H48D78589407649BFA19669CD623A0984"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds the following:</text><paragraph id="H4784FBE03C0D422CA6806CF5C068F3A3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The 2020 decennial census of population was conducted amongst unique and difficult circumstances which have caused many of its results to be questioned as regards their accuracy and legality.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H3418D4063426404DAD8EB39197A86782"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Privacy limitations prevent the decennial census from being a transparent process, therefore limiting the ability of the public and even Congress or the courts from effectively monitoring the entire census process.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDA9BEDD849D347C1A6ECED66EE593A54"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Only an independent bipartisan Board with the same access to data and documentation as the Bureau of the Census itself can effectively monitor the decennial census process.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H0DD0316C8B7E4DF486F23B84E85C44A4"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Therefore, in order to achieve these goals, the Congress finds that a bipartisan Census Monitoring Board should be established.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC73DEAEE39854875A82E57DDD0ADD3F2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There shall be established a board to be known as the Census Monitoring Board (in this section referred to as the <quote>Board</quote>).</text></subsection><subsection id="HCF76B35FC9AC42D3A5F957BEC3B78922"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>The function of the Board shall be to review all aspects of the preparation and implementation, data and results, and all post-enumeration activities and procedures, of the 2020 decennial census of population under section 141 of title 13, United States Code, (including all dress rehearsals and other simulations of a census in preparation therefor) and observe and monitor all aspects of the preparation and implementation of the 2030 decennial census and each decennial census thereafter (including all dress rehearsals and other simulations of a census in preparation therefor). </text></subsection><subsection id="H3A4BCE55619C403DB87A17B859427227"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Members</header><paragraph id="H15C784CDBE6C491BB543E88B4E27164E" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board shall be composed of 6 members, appointed as follows:</text><subparagraph id="H17DB06FB176441D7ACB73E20F4498A94"><enum>(A)</enum><text>One individual appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEE6E0B046ABF42ACA1F35751858BBDEC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Two individuals appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9CF54C04CF3B474E9DCDF0A31FFA24CD"><enum>(C)</enum><text>One individual appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H556218030FA3474C92E7A76142318E11"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Two individuals appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6BF7506F333F46F29E128EDBA83AB289"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Appointment</header><text>Each member of the Board shall be appointed within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. A vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. Members of the Board’s terms shall expire when the Houses of Congress are reorganized, except that a member shall continue to serve as a member until their replacement is appointed.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBA7696104D1C430E99B456A345469957"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Compensation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Members shall not be entitled to any pay by reason of their service on the Board, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEAFB84534E5244D1B8211CBD4C29D55C"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Bipartisan</header><text>The Board shall be bipartisan and each party’s appointees shall caucus separately and elect a co-chair from each caucus.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAA6D97E694B24C018E0C7A70C0D7396C"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Meetings</header><text>The Board shall meet at the call of either co-chair.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5FAA9F7AD7674CB09C7CEFAFB97094EF"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Quorum</header><text>A quorum shall consist of four members of the Board.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCF3517B666BB4BC3AEEC1C7562850D27"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Regulations</header><text>The Board may promulgate any regulations necessary to carry out its duties.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H72F1BABD01BD41108E791549E6B6DCAB"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Executive directors</header><paragraph id="H72C06C761EEB4DE4AA23FD82B37EC971" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each caucus of the Board shall have an executive director who shall be appointed by the members of the two most numerous caucuses, each of whom shall be paid at a rate not to exceed level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H98CEB96C6C584EAB949B8C9B9CEB9840"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Staff and services</header><subparagraph id="H9C93669407C74120B8AD75CB7B0FF7F8"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to such rules as the Board may prescribe, each executive director—</text><clause id="H149A0A05455340EBB2533DE9C3CFD7BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>may appoint and fix the pay of such additional personnel as that executive director considers appropriate; and</text></clause><clause id="H0899DCD1E3D14021BD3F41C761BAA002"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of pay payable for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE38B5820CEEE40C8B1EB1F87DA0841A0"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Board rules</header><text>Such rules shall include provisions to ensure an equitable division or sharing of resources, as appropriate, between the respective staff of the Board.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H68D961759C74454D95E924A1A432365C"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Board staff</header><text>The staff of the Board shall be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title (relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H46978B2EE81E4B1C98E4F396454176ED" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Facilities</header><text>The Administrator of the General Services Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, shall locate suitable office space for the operation of the Board in the headquarters of the Bureau of the Census in Suitland, Maryland, or its successor location. The facilities shall serve as the headquarters of the Board and shall include all necessary equipment and incidentals required for the proper functioning of the Board.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H53B5C0783DAA45A59008B23A5169B5AB"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Other authorities</header><paragraph id="HD5608E89EA5542AFA0FF3D02AAD48670" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Hearings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For the purpose of carrying out its duties, the Board may hold such hearings (at the call of either co-chair) and undertake such other activities as the Board determines to be necessary to carry out its duties.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H310A843B9F784E42953ACDB000BCD0DF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Access to information</header><subparagraph id="H250DE6A91C404318BF792855B5F9B0F6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Each co-chair of the Board and any Board staff who may be designated by the Board under this subparagraph shall be granted access to any data, files, information, or other matters maintained by the Bureau of the Census (or received by it in the course of conducting a decennial census of population) which they may request, subject to such regulations as the Board may prescribe in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce. No information may be withheld pursuant to title 13, United States Code, and all members of the Board and Board staff shall be sworn to protect the confidentiality and privilege of all data and information protected by such title.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H01E8F991CF224DB18E1B655F36E06893"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Agency information</header><text>The Board or the co-chairs acting jointly may secure directly from any other Federal agency, including the White House, all information that the Board considers necessary to enable the Board to carry out its duties. Upon request of the Board or both co-chairs, the head of that agency (or other person duly designated for purposes of this paragraph) shall furnish that information to the Board.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8A12673615544E21B752C6ACC2953F14"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Regulations</header><text>The Board shall prescribe regulations under which any member of the Board or of its staff, and any person whose services are procured under subsection (e)(2)(A)(ii), who gains access to any information or other matter pursuant to this subsection shall, to the extent that any provisions of section 9 or section 214 of title 13, United States Code, would apply with respect to such matter in the case of an employee of the Department of Commerce, be subject to such provisions.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HEBA4317D78264B229AFF4BD876F58FFB"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Detail authority</header><text>Upon the request of the Board, the head of any Federal agency is authorized to detail, without reimbursement, any of the personnel of such agency to the Board to assist the Board in carrying out its duties. Any such detail of a Federal employee under this paragraph shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the civil service status or privileges of the employee.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBA865634D9B2492EA0A3D42053726B46"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Technical assistance</header><text>Upon the request of the Board, the head of a Federal agency shall provide such technical assistance to the Board as the Board determines to be necessary to carry out its duties.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4E440591839043CBAC750A54DBFD3471"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Use of mails</header><text>The Board may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as Federal agencies and shall, for purposes of the frank, be considered a commission of Congress as described in section 3215 of title 39, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H63CEF8E3F466481AA30FAD7F1458B58A"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Support services</header><text>Upon request of the Board, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Board on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services as the Board may request.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H2803FDE7C5E24A0F8EA489D06E465799"><enum>(8)</enum><header>Printing costs</header><text>For purposes of costs relating to printing and binding, including the cost of personnel detailed from the Government Publishing Office, the Board shall be deemed to be a committee of the Congress.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H50382AB07E8C419A9593EA33A708C567"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Reports</header><paragraph id="H329C4EB9F06E44BC987640FE9548E883" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>2020 census</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board shall transmit to the Congress—</text><subparagraph id="H6DB60F6FDA6E4633BF3D6B4D9B51E140"><enum>(A)</enum><text>interim reports, with the first such report due by April 1, 2024;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3B2E90B2799B459291CF34F3366BDC10"><enum>(B)</enum><text>additional reports, the first of which shall be due by February 1, 2025, the second of which shall be due by April 1, 2025, and subsequent reports at least semiannually thereafter;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCCA4E850BC4E486AB9C330F890303846"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a final report on the 2020 Census shall be due by September 1, 2025; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H142E9665820F43F6BB01DE001EF7CE4F"><enum>(D)</enum><text>any other reports which the Board or either co-chair considers appropriate.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC868B881284747B3BC1A0BC6321E18D7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Subsequent censuses</header><text>With respect to the 2030 decennial census of population and each decennial census thereafter, the Board shall transmit to Congress—</text><subparagraph id="H221BD693C4AF476D807D1FB6EE750616"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an interim report due not later than September 1 of the second year following the year in which a decennial census occurs; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H64CF571729444B39B9A936790E6056FA"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a final report not later than September 1 of the third year following the year in which a decennial census occurs; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBCDA642052994389B2425CEFBD22BC5A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any other reports which the Board or either co-chair considers appropriate.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H41146AC303CB4D3D9437C6B3E29A9106" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Final report contents</header><text>A final report under paragraph (1)(C) or (2)(B) shall contain a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Board with respect to the matters described in subsection (c).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF8AC2254FBAC4F859FFD3FC86E276CF5"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Report contents</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In addition to any matter otherwise required under this subsection, each such report shall address, with respect to the period covered by such report—</text><subparagraph id="H0B5986C888AF4743A92914CB7CA5E990"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the degree to which efforts of the Bureau of the Census to prepare to conduct the decennial census—</text><clause id="H00E209F8074A400595DF1072AFE02D79"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">shall achieve maximum possible accuracy at every level of geography;</text></clause><clause id="HACE1DCBCEF274F21A8E769A667DE4213"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shall be taken by means of an enumeration process designed to count every individual possible;</text></clause><clause id="HCC91FAF92DFF44698230F5FEEDC6A282"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>shall be free from political bias and arbitrary decisions; and</text></clause><clause id="HC7E73BF9536F465D8E062563F678A5CF"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>comply with all legal and constitutional requirements; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BFF64DB902B48CEACC532C393CFC6E5"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">efforts by the Bureau of the Census intended to contribute to enumeration improvement, specifically in connection with—</text><clause id="HBD7EFB8FD82940759B660CF1AE129FCF"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">computer modernization and the appropriate use of automation;</text></clause><clause id="H69081AC53B1640F0ABC8F1546E533F6E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>address list development;</text></clause><clause id="H5704265229CC424FBBE2B2CFD37D9F82"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>outreach and promotion efforts at all levels designed to maximize response rates, especially among groups that have historically been undercounted (including measures undertaken in conjunction with local government and community and other groups);</text></clause><clause id="HE32235F0917B4BD48ACC66933110C1AE"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>establishment and operation of field offices; and</text></clause><clause id="HCF99B05D5C8149CB8C2CFA2FA447DFE2"><enum>(v)</enum><text>efforts relating to the recruitment, hiring, and training of enumerators.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H46A59FBCB55249C5AA3152E7C979F3B1"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Availability of data and information</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any data or other information obtained by the Board under this section shall be made available to any committee or subcommittee of Congress of appropriate jurisdiction upon request of the chair or ranking minority member of such committee or subcommittee. No such committee or subcommittee, or member thereof, shall disclose any information obtained under this paragraph which is submitted to it on a confidential basis unless the full committee determines that the withholding of that information is contrary to the national interest.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE2D9644B2640467CB4D295169FD28B73"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Use of contractors</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board shall study and submit to Congress, as part of its first report under paragraph (1)(A), its findings and recommendations as to the feasibility and desirability of using postal personnel or private contractors to help carry out the decennial census.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H25644478933D43C5B256AEE8E8D9502C"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Accuracy of census</header><text>To the extent practicable, members of the Board shall work to promote the most accurate and complete decennial census possible by using their positions to publicize the need for full and timely responses to decennial census questionnaires.</text></subsection><subsection id="H0FAB924CF1C042558F85101BFCD170EE"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Limitation on Board members and staff</header><paragraph id="HB52F3CC030E94807A0AEC2F7AC52706D" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No individual described in paragraph (2) may—</text><subparagraph id="H3B07100DF4CF42B68B038D89EFFD71A2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>be appointed or serve as a member of the Board or as a member of the staff of the Board; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE9262166081B4C4C88C805CAEF4077E3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>enter into any contract with the Board.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8A6AC7BEC8EF46A380683D3721D27FCA"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Individuals covered</header><text>An individual described in this paragraph is any individual who is serving or who has ever served—</text><subparagraph id="HE90E06DB210C4D48BEC3674943DEF30F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>as the Director of the Census; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6B675B3E94D34EC2989C43A58E1AFF1C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with any committee or subcommittee of either House of Congress having jurisdiction over any aspect of the decennial census as—</text><clause id="H85899D29B8674B85AF7FFDA1E3381419"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a Member of Congress; or</text></clause><clause id="H39C15821293743DD9764083C0F003C49"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a congressional employee.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H984A376D833F43AD858B6F48F2612D08" commented="no"><enum>(k)</enum><header>Exception for use of information</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 9(a) of title 13, United States Code, is amended in the matter before paragraph (1)—</text><paragraph id="HF0EEAEF591C541C1809C4D0A6A2CD476" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or section 210</quote> and inserting <quote>, section 210</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCC8EE1AA91B448D687FAE43C4BAA4519" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>1998 or</quote> and inserting <quote>1998,</quote>; and </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA2F22998ADDE4CEF8A8669D814F492FA" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>1997</quote> and inserting <quote>, or section 502 of the American Confidence in Elections Act</quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA88777A8BE974DCEAFDB7D770BEDC5ED" commented="no"><enum>(l)</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text>There is authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter to carry out this section.</text></subsection></section><enum>VI</enum><header>Disinformation Governance Board</header><section id="H15F3155CBAB845DFA5CCEBE68F773EB2"><enum>601.</enum><header>Termination of the Disinformation Governance Board</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Disinformation Governance Board of the Department of Homeland Security is hereby terminated.</text></section><section id="HD187874A2056460599BAFBDA30261D57"><enum>602.</enum><header>Prohibition on funding similar board or similar activities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">No Federal funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available may be used to establish any other entity that is substantially similar to the Disinformation Governance Board terminated by section 601 or to carry out activities that are substantially similar to the Disinformation Governance Board terminated by section 601.</text></section><enum>VII</enum><header>Severability</header><section id="HF389C3968DD346DA9F32BEBFF30B06E4"><enum>701.</enum><header>Severability</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">If any provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act, or the application of any such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, and the application of such provision or amendment to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the holding.</text></section>January 3, 2025Reported from the Committee on House Administration with an amendmentJanuary 3, 2025 Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Science, Space, and Technology, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, Oversight and Accountability, and Rules discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed