[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 6, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1907-S1908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBERTS:
  S. 467. A bill to provide grants for States to adopt the Federal 
write-in absentee ballot and to amend the Uniformed and Overseas 
Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require uniform treatment by States of 
Federal write-in absentee ballots; to the Committee on Rules and 
Administation.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.

[[Page S1908]]

  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 467

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Grant Authorized.--The Secretary of Defense, through 
     the Federal Voting Assistance Program, is authorized to award 
     grants to States to enable States to adopt and use--
       (1) the Federal write-in absentee ballot under section 103 
     of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-2); and
       (2) the absentee ballot mailing envelopes prescribed under 
     section 101 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff);
     in lieu of any State absentee ballot or envelope with respect 
     to ballots of overseas voters for a primary or general 
     election for Federal office.
       (b) Application.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, or any other State 
     official responsible for implementing and monitoring 
     elections, of each State desiring a grant under this section 
     shall submit an application to the Secretary of Defense at 
     such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
     information as the Secretary of Defense by regulation may 
     reasonably require.
       (2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
     (1) shall--
       (A) describe the activities for which assistance under this 
     section is sought; and
       (B) provide such additional assurances as the Secretary of 
     Defense determines to be essential to ensure compliance with 
     the requirements of this section and section 103 of the 
     Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1973ff-2).
       (c) Amount of Grant.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     determine the amount of any grant to be provided under this 
     section in such a manner to ensure that all costs for the 
     purposes for which the grant is awarded will be reimbursed.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
     the provisions of this section.

     SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT.

       Section 103 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee 
     Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-2) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(g) Requirements for States Receiving Certain Grants.--If 
     a State receives a grant amount with respect to use of 
     Federal write-in absentee ballots under the program 
     administered by the Federal Voting Assistance Program within 
     the Department of Defense, the State shall, in addition to 
     the other requirements of this section--
       ``(1) treat any otherwise valid Federal write-in absentee 
     ballot, that meets the uniform requirements promulgated by 
     the Presidential designee under this title for such ballot, 
     as meeting applicable State law regarding acceptance of 
     absentee ballots; and
       ``(2) accept and count any otherwise valid Federal write-in 
     absentee ballot received by the appropriate State election 
     official on a date that is not later than 10 days after the 
     date of the election to which the ballot refers.
       ``(h) Regulations.--The Presidential designee shall 
     promulgate a regulation--
       ``(1) stating uniform requirements for treatment and 
     acceptance of Federal write-in absentee ballots; and
       ``(2) to provide that the design of any absentee ballot or 
     envelope under this title--
       ``(A) has a marking to distinguish the ballot and envelope 
     as belonging to an overseas voter; and
       ``(B) allows the voter to attest on the ballot that the 
     ballot is cast prior to the date of the election to which the 
     ballot refers.''.
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