[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 160 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4468-H4472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                              {time}  1300
                ELECTION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ACT OF 2020

  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4990) to direct the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology and the National Science Foundation to carry out research 
and other activities to promote the security and modernization of 
voting systems, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4990

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Election Technology Research 
     Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.

       (a) Voting Systems Research.--The Director of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with 
     the National Science Foundation as appropriate, shall carry 
     out a program of research on voting systems, including--
       (1) the cybersecurity of different components of such 
     systems;
       (2) end-to-end verifiable systems;
       (3) Internet-enabled voting;
       (4) the accessibility and usability of different components 
     of such systems;
       (5) voter privacy and data protection;
       (6) methods for auditing elections;
       (7) the interoperability of system technologies;
       (8) means for providing voters with the ability to easily 
     check whether a ballot sent by mail has been dispatched to 
     the voter and whether the voter's marked ballot has been 
     received and accepted by the appropriate election official;
       (9) the reliability of various approaches to voter 
     authentication; and
       (10) such other areas of research as the Director of the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology determines to 
     be appropriate and related to the security and integrity of 
     elections for Federal office.
       (b) Elections Systems Center of Excellence.--
       (1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology shall make an award to an 
     institution of higher education or an eligible nonprofit 
     organization (or a consortium thereof) to establish a Center 
     of Excellence in Election Systems.
       (2) Collaborations.--The Director shall ensure that the 
     Center of Excellence includes a collaboration of institutions 
     of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private sector 
     entities, and State and local election officials.
       (3) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center of Excellence shall 
     be to--
       (A) conduct measurement research and statistical analyses 
     to inform the development of standards for technologies and 
     processes that contribute to more secure, fair, and 
     accessible elections;
       (B) test and evaluate the security, usability, and 
     accessibility of the technologies of voting systems, 
     including the accessibility of poll book data by voters;
       (C) research testing methods that could be used for the 
     certification of voting system technologies;
       (D) educate and train students studying in science, 
     technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to conduct 
     measurement science and standards research relevant to such 
     systems; and
       (E) foster collaboration among academic researchers, 
     private sector vendors of election technology, and State and 
     local election officials.
       (4) Requirements.--
       (A) In general.--An institution of higher education or an 
     eligible nonprofit organization (or a consortium thereof) 
     seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an 
     application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and 
     containing such information as the Director may require.
       (B) Applications.--Each application under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include a description of--
       (i) how the Center will work with other research 
     institutions, industry partners, and State or local election 
     officials to identify the measurement, testing, and standards 
     needs of voting systems and to leverage the expertise of 
     election practitioners; and
       (ii) how the Center will promote active collaboration among 
     researchers in multiple disciplines involved in ensuring the 
     security and integrity of such systems.
       (C) Selection and duration.--Each Center established under 
     this section is authorized to carry out activities for a 
     period of 5 years, renewable for an additional 5 years at the 
     discretion of the Director.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $12,000,000 for 
     each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

       (a) Research Grants.--The Director of the National Science 
     Foundation, in collaboration with the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology and other relevant agencies, as 
     appropriate, shall award basic research grants to increase 
     the understanding of cyber and other threats to voting 
     systems and to inform the development of technologies, 
     processes, and policies that contribute to more secure, fair, 
     and accessible elections, including research on--
       (1) the cybersecurity of different components of such 
     systems;
       (2) end-to-end verifiable systems;
       (3) the risks and benefits of Internet-enabled voting;
       (4) the human-technology interface, including the 
     usability, accessibility, and comprehensibility of ballot 
     design, ballot marking devices, and other components of such 
     systems;
       (5) voter privacy and data protection;
       (6) voter practices regarding the verification of ballots 
     generated by ballot marking devices and the likelihood that 
     voters, both with and without disabilities, will recognize 
     errors or omissions with respect to such ballots; and
       (7) such other topics as the Director determines to be 
     appropriate and related to the integrity of elections.
       (b) Elections Systems Research Center.--
       (1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
     Foundation, in consultation with the Director of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology and the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall award grants to 
     institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit 
     organizations (or consortia thereof) to establish at least 1 
     multidisciplinary center for elections systems research and 
     education.
       (2) Consortia.--A consortia receiving an award under this 
     subsection may include institutions of higher education, 
     nonprofit organizations, private sector entities, and State 
     and local election officials.
       (3) Purpose.--The purpose of a center established with a 
     grant awarded under this subsection shall be to--
       (A) conduct basic research to advance understanding of 
     cyber and other threats to election systems and the conduct 
     of secure, fair, and accessible elections;
       (B) conduct research that may inform the development of 
     technologies, processes, and policies that contribute to more 
     secure, fair, and accessible elections;
       (C) educate and train students studying in science, 
     technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to conduct 
     research relevant to election systems;
       (D) design curricula that address the growing 
     organizational management and information technology needs of 
     the election community; and
       (E) foster collaboration among academic researchers, 
     private sector vendors of election technology, and State and 
     local election officials.
       (4) Requirements.--
       (A) In general.--An institution of higher education or an 
     eligible nonprofit organization (or a consortium thereof) 
     seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an 
     application to the Director of the National Science 
     Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Director may require.
       (B) Applications.--Each application under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include a description of--
       (i) how the center established with a grant awarded under 
     this subsection will work with other research institutions, 
     industry partners, and State and local election officials to 
     identify research needs and leverage the expertise of 
     election practitioners; and
       (ii) how the center will promote active collaboration among 
     researchers in multiple disciplines involved in elections 
     systems security, including computer science, data science, 
     and social and behavioral sciences.
       (5) Selection and duration.--Each center established with a 
     grant awarded under this section is authorized to carry out 
     activities for a period of 5 years, renewable for an 
     additional 5 years at the discretion of the Director.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for 
     each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

     SEC. 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS 
                   AND TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE SECURITY AND 
                   MODERNIZATION OF VOTING SYSTEMS.

       (a) Common Data Format.--The National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology shall establish and make publicly 
     available common data format specifications for auditing, 
     voter registration, and other elements of voting systems, and 
     provide the specifications to the Technical Guidelines 
     Development Committee of the Election Assistance Commission 
     under section 221(e) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
     U.S.C. 20961(e)).
       (b) Elections Systems Certifications.--The National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology shall work in 
     collaboration with the Election Assistance Commission to 
     update the process under which voting systems are certified 
     pursuant to the Help America Vote Act of 2002 so that State 
     and local election officials will be better able to carry out 
     updates and otherwise modernize such systems.
       (c) Technical Assistance.--The Director of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology shall--
       (1) provide technical assistance to State and local 
     election officials on the implementation of cybersecurity 
     standards, privacy standards, risk assessments, risk-limiting 
     audits, and technologies which are incorporated in the 
     voluntary voting system guidelines issued under the Help 
     America Vote Act of 2002; and

[[Page H4469]]

       (2) in collaboration with the Department of Homeland 
     Security and the Election Assistance Commission, as 
     appropriate, conduct outreach to State and local election 
     officials in order to disseminate best practices for the 
     implementation of such voluntary voting system guidelines.

     SEC. 5. GAO REPORT.

       Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to 
     Congress that--
       (1) addresses the extent to which efforts by the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to assist the 
     Technical Guidelines Development Committee of the Election 
     Assistance Commission in the development of voluntary voting 
     systems guidelines have resulted in market-ready standardized 
     voting equipment and software, and addresses the resources 
     made available to NIST to carry out these activities;
       (2) addresses efforts by NIST to monitor and review the 
     performance of laboratories accredited by the Elections 
     Assistance Commission and to make recommendations for 
     continuing accreditation, increased voting technology 
     reliability, and the number of accredited private 
     laboratories, and addresses resources made available to NIST 
     to carry out these activities; and
       (3) addresses the extent to which the annual list of 
     suggestions required to be submitted by NIST to the Election 
     Assistance Commission for research issues for grants and 
     pilot programs under section 271(d) of the Help America Vote 
     Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21041) and the evaluation of grants 
     and programs by NIST has improved voting technology and been 
     successful in encouraging the implementation of new 
     technologies in voting systems and equipment.

     SEC. 6. AMENDMENTS TO THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002.

       Section 301(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
     U.S.C. 21081(b)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``this section'' and inserting ``this Act'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (6); and
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(2) any other paper or electronic technologies or 
     processes for collecting, storing, or transmitting personal 
     information of voters for use in the administration of 
     elections for Federal office, including electronic poll books 
     with respect to an election;
       ``(3) voter registration databases and systems, including 
     online interfaces;
       ``(4) systems for carrying out post-election auditing;
       ``(5) chain-of-custody procedures; and''.

     SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``voting system'' has the meaning given such 
     term in section 301(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
     (52 U.S.C. 21081(b)), as amended by section 6; and
       (2) the term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
     the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
     Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4990, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 4990, the 
Election Technology Research Act. This bipartisan legislation, which I 
was proud to introduce alongside my friend Representative Gonzalez, 
Chairwoman Johnson, and Ranking Member Lucas, is a practical, 
commonsense bill that would yield important results for the security of 
our elections.
  Madam Speaker, 48 days from today, Americans will exercise one of 
their most important duties in a democratic society and vote. Amidst a 
global pandemic, targeted attacks on our democracy by our adversaries, 
and political unrest, Americans deserve to know that our elections are 
secure.
  Last summer, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a 
hearing with voting technology and election administration experts to 
discuss U.S. election system technologies and research recommendations 
made in the 2018 National Academies report, Securing the Vote: 
Protecting American Democracy. This report and the input we received 
during that hearing made it clear that targeted research designed to 
protect our voting systems is not only wise but necessary.
  The COVID-19 global pandemic has put stress on our healthcare system, 
caused nearly 200,000 deaths in the United States, devastated our 
economy, and underscored racial inequities in our society. But 
Americans are resilient. They will mail in their ballots or go to their 
polling stations to cast their vote. Why? Because they care deeply 
about our country and our democracy. In return, one of our jobs in 
government is to ensure the American people have confidence in the 
integrity of our election process.
  Nearly 20 years ago, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act. HAVA 
provided funding for States to purchase new voting equipment and 
created the Election Assistance Commission. It also included provisions 
to advance research, technology, and standards development for voting 
systems.
  There are more than 10,000 voting jurisdictions across the United 
States. HAVA mandated that the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology work with the EAC to develop voluntary voting systems 
guidelines for voting machines.
  Today, all U.S. States and territories look to those guidelines to 
make decisions to about technology procurement and securing their 
elections. My legislation modernizes the 20-year-old provisions in HAVA 
to reflect the state of today's technology and the nature of today's 
election security challenges.
  The most important new areas of research and standards development 
this bill supports are online voter registration systems and electronic 
poll books. Forty States now offer online voter registration, and many 
States also use e-poll books on election day for quick access to voter 
information.
  The Election Technology Research Act also creates centers of 
excellence at NIST and the National Science Foundation to further study 
a range of important election technology challenges, including 
cybersecurity, privacy, reliability, and interoperability.
  We must strive to ensure the highest standards are in place for all 
technologies used in the election process. And while the overwhelming 
majority of election experts agree that the technology is not yet ready 
for secure voting over the internet, this bill does support continued 
research on internet voting.
  In addition to the security and integrity of voting equipment, voting 
accessibility is also important. Keeping security at the forefront, we 
should make it as easy as possible for all voters to cast their 
ballots. H.R. 4990 supports research at NSF to study ways to improve 
the voter interface with different voting technologies, including 
accessibility, ballot design, and ballot-marking devices.
  Beyond the ballot box, this bill supports education and training of 
students and design of curricula focused on organizational management 
and informational technology needs of the election community.
  Finally, H.R. 4990 directs NIST to provide technical assistance to 
States for their election needs, including risk assessments and risk-
limiting audits.
  This is a bipartisan piece of legislation. The Members of the House 
Science, Space, and Technology Committee worked to put together a 
bipartisan bill that represents our values and our commitment to 
protecting our democracy. It recognizes the simple fact that technology 
advances quickly. So, when it comes to something as fundamental as 
ensuring the security and the sanctity of our elections, it is 
incumbent upon Congress to pass legislation to make sure our election 
technology is modern, secure, and state of the art.
  Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank Representative Gonzalez, Chairwoman 
Johnson, and Ranking Member Lucas for joining me as cosponsors on this 
bill, as well as my other colleagues on the Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee and in the House for adding their names to this 
legislation.
  I urge all Members to support the Election Technology Research Act, 
and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to see it 
enacted in law.

[[Page H4470]]

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
                                         House of Representatives,


                            Committee on House Administration,

                                Washington, DC, February 10, 2020.
     Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
     Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
         House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairwoman Johnson: I am writing to you regarding H.R. 
     4990, the ``Election Technology Research Act of 2019.'' This 
     measure, introduced on November 8, 2019, was referred to your 
     committee as well as the Committee on House Administration.
       The Committee on House Administration agrees to waive 
     further consideration of H.R. 4990. The Committee does so 
     with the understanding that by waiving further consideration 
     of this bill it does not waive any future jurisdictional 
     claims over similar measures. In addition, the Committee 
     reserves its right to seek conferees on any provisions within 
     its jurisdiction which are considered in a House-Senate 
     conference and requests your support if such a request is 
     made.
       I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy 
     of your response in the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of H.R. 4990 on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Zoe Lofgren,
     Chairperson.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, 
           and Technology,
                                Washington, DC, February 10, 2020.
     Chairperson Zoe Lofgren,
     Committee on House Administration,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairperson Lofgren: I am writing to you concerning 
     H.R. 4990, the ``Election Technology Research Act of 2019,'' 
     which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
     Technology, and in addition to the Committee on House 
     Administration on November 8, 2019.
       I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     bill. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall 
     within the jurisdiction of the Committee on House 
     Administration. I appreciate that your Committee will waive 
     further consideration of H.R. 4990 and that this action is 
     not a waiver of future jurisdictional claims by the Committee 
     on House Administration over this subject matter.
       I will make sure to include our exchange of letters in the 
     legislative report for H.R. 4990 and in the Congressional 
     Record. Thank you for your cooperation on this legislation.
           Sincerely,

                                        Eddie Bernice Johnson,

                                 Chairwoman, Committee on Science,
                                            Space, and Technology.
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4990, the Election 
Technology Research Act of 2020. I am proud to join Representatives 
Sherrill and Gonzalez and Chairwoman Johnson as an original cosponsor 
of this bill.
  The security and integrity of elections is fundamental to American 
democracy and should not be a partisan issue. To that end, this 
bipartisan bill takes necessary and appropriate steps to update 
research activities at the National Science Foundation and the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology to promote the security and the 
modernization of U.S. voting systems.
  The bill also establishes an election systems center of excellence at 
NIST to foster collaborations between NIST, universities, and State and 
local election officials to address election security challenges.
  The U.S. Constitution vests the responsibility of administering 
elections with State and local governments, and we in Congress should 
respect the boundaries of this well-established system of federalism.
  However, the Federal Government has an important role to play in 
providing guidance and assistance to States on election systems. The 
Federal Government can and should work closely with States and local 
government officials to deal with foreign and domestic cyber threats.
  This bill provides the research tools to do just that, and it does so 
without imposing costly or burdensome mandates on States. Instead, this 
bill leverages an established system to provide voluntary guidelines to 
State and local election officials to use as they see fit.
  I appreciate Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working with us to 
produce a good, bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Johnson).
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4990, 
the Election Technology Research Act of 2020. I am proud to join my 
colleagues, Representatives Sherrill and Gonzalez, in introducing this 
bipartisan bill.
  Just a few weeks from now, Americans will begin casting their ballots 
in the 2020 election. They will also do so in the midst of a global 
pandemic and a divided country. The stakes could not be higher. We face 
many threats to our democratic institutions, including to our most 
sacred right and responsibility as citizens: our vote.
  Unfortunately, the greatest threats today are the spread of 
misinformation and the active disenfranchisement of American citizens. 
Those are human vulnerabilities that are amplified by technology. 
However, we must not lose sight of the vulnerabilities inherent to the 
technologies that we use to cast and count our votes.
  As it has across all aspects of our lives and society, technology has 
become an integral part of the election process. The use of technology 
in elections has changed significantly since the enactment of Help 
America Vote nearly 20 years ago.
  H.R. 4990 authorizes research and standards development activities at 
the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology to help modernize and secure our election systems and 
ensure that they are accessible to all.
  The legislation also includes a small amendment to HAVA to ensure 
that the standards and guidelines developed to help States secure their 
election systems cover all of the election technologies in use today.
  This legislation represents just a tiny piece of what is needed in 
terms of policy, leadership, and funding to ensure free, fair, 
transparent, and secure elections, but it is an important piece, if not 
in time for this election, then for all future elections.
  I want to again thank my colleagues, Representatives Sherrill and 
Gonzalez, for their hard work and our colleagues on the House 
Administration Committee for their support in getting this bill to the 
floor.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this good, bipartisan 
legislation.
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez).
  Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio. Madam Speaker, election security is an issue 
essential to our democracy, and I am glad to see the House taking up 
legislation today to address it in a bipartisan manner.
  My colleague, Representative Sherrill, and I have been working 
together on this issue since being sworn in, and I am glad to join her, 
as well as Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas, in supporting 
H.R. 4990, the Election Technology Research Act.
  This legislation would modernize and secure U.S. voting systems by 
authorizing NIST and the National Science Foundation to conduct 
research on ways to improve and secure voting systems. Importantly, any 
standards recommended by NIST under this act are voluntary, and 
adoption of the standards remain in the purview of the Election 
Assistance Commission.
  H.R. 4990 also provides grant funding to establish a center of 
excellence in election systems to promote the research and 
modernization of election practices. A stated purpose of this center 
will be to foster collaboration between universities, nonprofits, 
private organizations, and State and local election officials. 
Encouraging communication and collaboration between these groups is 
vital to make sure the voices of States and local election officials 
are heard.
  The Election Research Technology Act also amends the Help America 
Vote Act to update the definition of voting systems to match modern 
technology encompassing electronic poll books and voter registration 
databases. There is bipartisan consensus that an update of the 
definition is necessary to reflect the modern election technology used 
by States today.
  With new threats facing our electoral systems, it is imperative that 
we continue to update our election laws and improve our election 
security by passing bipartisan election security legislation.

  Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson, Ranking Member Lucas, and 
the Science, Space, and Technology staff for their hard work on this 
legislation, and also Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office for 
their input throughout the process.

[[Page H4471]]

  Madam Speaker, I also want to thank my friend, Ranking Member Davis, 
for his dedicated work on election issues. I look forward to continuing 
working with him to ensure the administration of our elections are safe 
and secure.
  The Election Technology Research Act will update Federal laws to 
reflect today's technology, encourage basic research and innovation on 
the State and local level to secure our election systems, and 
streamline collaboration between private and public stakeholders.
  This bill is a simple, bipartisan piece of legislation that will take 
a step forward in improving our election security. I urge my colleagues 
to vote in support of H.R. 4990.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from New Jersey.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4990, which I am proud 
to cosponsor. This is a bipartisan bill introduced by my Science, 
Space, and Technology Committee colleagues, Representatives Sherrill 
and Anthony Gonzalez.
  Technology in elections is necessary to provide convenience, speed, 
accuracy, and accessibility. However, our country needs to modernize 
this technology from time to time to ensure security, privacy, 
reliability, and transparency.
  For the past 20 years, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 was 
instrumental in the development of voluntary voting system guidelines 
and the advancement of voting technologies to improve the security and 
integrity of our elections. Unfortunately, the law has not kept pace 
with the rapid advances in technology.

                              {time}  1315

  H.R. 4990 authorizes activities and makes investments at the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Science 
Foundation to support research to help secure and modernize our 
election systems. This legislation also supports critical standards 
development work carried out by NIST in collaboration with the Election 
Assistance Commission to improve the cybersecurity, privacy, 
reliability, and interoperability of voting systems technologies.
  Voting is one of our most cherished rights as Americans, and without 
sacrificing security, we must make it as easy as possible for all 
voters to cast their ballots this year and every year.
  I thank my colleagues, Representative Mikie Sherrill and 
Representative Gonzalez, for their bipartisan leadership on this bill.
  H.R. 4990 will help improve the security of our elections, and I urge 
all my colleagues to vote ``aye.''
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), a fellow ranking member on a full committee and 
always an insightful individual.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend 
from Oklahoma for yielding and for the glowing recommendation there. I 
think I could have gotten a better one from Mr. Perlmutter over there. 
It is great to be here. It is great to be among friends and great to 
see bipartisanship.
  This is an example of what the House of Representatives should do on 
a regular basis, have fun, joke around, like Ranking Member Lucas and I 
do on regular occasions. This is what we should do on a wide variety of 
other pieces of legislation, including what we want to do before the 
end of this month, how we want to fill the holes in the stimulus bill 
that we passed back months and months ago in a very bipartisan way.
  I have to raise some concerns about this piece of legislation because 
the House Administration Committee got this bill sent to the committee 
last November and, unfortunately, as has been the norm in this Congress 
and on this committee, we didn't hold one meaningful hearing or markup 
on this bill.
  The Chair waived our jurisdiction in February, and now 7 months later 
this bill is on the House floor without ever being discussed by the 
committee with jurisdiction over Federal election issues.
  H.R. 4990 allocates over $100 million over the next 5 years to the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology in order to conduct 
election system research and distribute grants to higher-education 
institutions and nonprofits.
  Funding expanded research at NIST, a nonregulatory agency of the 
Department of Commerce, would allow the agency to circumvent policy 
priorities set by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, a 
politically balanced agency.
  This is especially concerning when we know there have already been 
calls for more transparency when it comes to the work that NIST does on 
behalf of the EAC. Currently, EAC commissioners are not regularly 
updated on the projects that they task NIST with. There is no timeline 
for completion and no reporting structure. H.R. 4990 further empowers 
NIST without proportional accountability to the EAC.
  I have addressed this issue previously in my bill H.R. 5707, the 
Protect American Voters Act, PAVA, by calling election-related work of 
NIST to be more accessible and visible by directing them to issue a 
report to Congress every year containing the status, timeline, and 
estimated completion of activities that they are tasked with under 
HAVA.
  Additionally, H.R. 4990 would expand the voting system definition to 
include nonvoting technology in the already overwhelmed voluntary 
voting system guidelines process.
  We have been waiting for updated HAVA guidelines, or VVSG 2.0, for 
over a decade now. So while I absolutely believe guidelines for 
nonvoting equipment, such as e-poll books are needed, adding more to 
the VVSG process likely isn't going to get this done.
  My bill, PAVA, addresses this by bypassing the costly and time-
consuming VVSG process and calls for the EAC to establish a separate 
process for testing and certifying guidelines for nonvoting election 
equipment.
  The bottom line, H.R. 4990 does not update HAVA, and allocates over 
$100 million to the discretion of NIST, rather than investing in the 
bipartisan independent government agency created by Congress. And that 
agency is well-versed in elections. The EAC provides guidance, not 
mandates. Keeping power at the EAC preserves States' primary and 
constitutional role in administering Federal elections.
  This House should work in a real, bipartisan fashion to create the 
election reform that the American people deserve. I am willing and 
ready whenever my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would like to 
do this.
  I am happy we see bipartisanship today as this bill works its way 
through the process after it passes today. I certainly hope that the 
sponsors and my colleagues can work with us to address some of the 
concerns that I raise today.
  I thank, again, Ranking Member Lucas. I will give him a glowing 
recommendation, too, of nothing.
  And I thank the sponsors of this bill, Ms. Sherrill and Mr. Gonzales, 
for your work in this field. I would like to work with you to address 
some of these concerns as we move it to the Senate. Thank you for your 
time today.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Oklahoma (Ms. Kendra S. Horn).
  Ms. KENDRA S. HORN of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I thank the 
gentlewoman for yielding. I thank my colleagues Congresswoman Sherrill, 
Ranking Member Lucas, Chairwoman Johnson, and Congressman Gonzales for 
all of their work on this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of H.R. 4990, the Election 
Technology Research Act, a strong bipartisan bill that I am proud to 
support and also proud to cosponsor.
  Madam Speaker, in less than 2 months, Americans will head to the 
polls and exercise their fundamental right as Americans to vote and to 
have a voice in their government. Our elections are foundational to our 
democracy, and Americans deserve to know that their vote is secure.
  The Help America Vote Act, which became law nearly two decades ago, 
included a much-needed investment in election technologies, security 
systems, electronic poll books, and others supported by HAVA are in 
common use today.
  But as we all know, technology advances quickly, and it is critical 
that our election technology advances with it. Given the varied and 
widespread election technologies in use across our country, it is 
vitally important that we

[[Page H4472]]

examine the risks, find opportunities for modernization, and pursue 
secure updates to protect the sanctity and security of our elections.
  We must make investments in research to improve cybersecurity of our 
voting systems. Cyber warfare is an ever-escalating program, and our 
right to vote is foundational and must be protected.
  This bipartisan bill will initiate important research into the 
security of election technology, enabling us to take the necessary 
steps for every American to trust that their vote is counted.
  Madam Speaker, I am glad to support this bill and urge my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank Chairwoman Johnson, Chairwoman Sherrill, and Representative 
Anthony Gonzalez for working together in a bipartisan manner to produce 
measured legislation that will help secure and modernize America's 
voting systems.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, this is a practical, bipartisan piece of 
legislation that will work to secure our elections.
  The administration committee discharged this bill in February, and I 
hope I can count on robust support from my colleagues there.
  When the House passed the Help America Vote Act nearly 20 years ago, 
we recognized that our election systems need protection. That is why 
that landmark legislation included the provisions I already mentioned 
to advance research, technology, and standards development for voting 
systems.
  We are in a new technological landscape today, and our voting systems 
need to be updated accordingly, and this is the first step in that 
direction.
  NIST already has a team of experts working with the Election 
Assistance Commission on standards for voting technology, and they are 
absolutely qualified to pursue this research.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues today. Thank you to 
Representative Gonzalez for his work on this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for 
H.R. 4990, the Election Technology Research Act, of which I am a proud 
cosponsor.
  My return to Congress in 2019 was prompted in part by my membership 
in Issue One's ReFormers Caucus, a nonpartisan group of more than 200 
former Members of Congress, governors, ambassadors and cabinet members. 
This committed Caucus, whose slogan is ``fix democracy first'', is 
focused on a range of reforms essential to returning government to the 
people.
  Central to these reforms are much higher and broader participation in 
our elections and enhanced faith in the validity of our election 
results. Election security is in turn the critical foundation of 
participation and faith. It should be and largely is a universal goal, 
especially given continuing, emerging and expanding threats to our 
election systems.
  This bipartisan measure would help ensure that our elections are 
secured by the most advanced and best voting technology. It authorizes 
federal research to establish and maintain the highest standards 
possible, and establishes a Center of Excellence in Election Systems to 
regularly and thoroughly test the security and accessibility of voting 
systems and certify voting system technology.
  This measure passed our House Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology with unanimous support because the Committee recognized the 
critical need for federal resources and leadership on this issue. It 
also was endorsed by my Blue Dog Coalition because it advances our own 
commitment to national security and accessible democracy.
  I thank Congresswoman Sherrill for her leadership on this important 
issue, and urge full House passage.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4990.
  Voting is the bedrock of our representative democracy. The integrity 
of our election infrastructure is essential to free and fair elections. 
Votes are cast and counted using a variety of systems, from hand-marked 
paper ballots to direct-recording electronic machines. There is a whole 
host of other technology that also supports the process, including 
electronic pollbooks, voter registration databases, and other 
components of comprehensive systems.
  I support H.R. 4990, the Election Technology Research Act of 2019, 
because it invests in science to bolster the resilience of election 
technology, and commend its sponsor, Representative Sherrill, for 
authoring the bill. This legislation is in keeping with other bills 
this House has passed in the 116th Congress to protect our democratic 
institutions, including H.R. 1 (the For the People Act), H.R. 2722 (the 
SAFE Act), and H.R. 4617 (the SHIELD Act).
  Russia attacked our democracy in 2016. Special Counsel Robert 
Mueller's investigation confirmed that Russian GRU officers ``targeted 
individuals and entities involved in the administration of the 
elections. Victims included U.S. state and local entities, such as 
state boards of elections (SBOEs), secretaries of state, and county 
governments, as well as individuals who worked for those entities. The 
GRU also targeted private technology firms responsible for 
manufacturing and administering election-related software and hardware, 
such as voter registration software and electronic polling stations.''
  In July 2020, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 
(CISA) published an election infrastructure risk assessment. It found 
that ``compromises to the integrity of state-level voter registration 
systems, the preparation of election data (e.g., ballot programming), 
vote aggregation systems, and election websites present particular risk 
to the ability of jurisdictions to conduct elections.''
  Our elections remain under threat from foreign adversaries. In August 
2020, the Director of the United States Counterintelligence and 
Security Center said that foreign states may use the 2020 elections to 
``seek to compromise our election infrastructure for a range of 
possible purposes, such as interfering with the voting process, 
stealing sensitive data, or calling into question the validity of the 
election results.''
  H.R. 4990 is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that responds to 
these ongoing threats. It authorizes new research and standards for 
election infrastructure security. It directs the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) to carry out research that will increase the understanding of 
cyber and other threats to voting systems. It will lead to the 
development of technology, processes, and policies for more secure and 
accessible elections. This includes the cybersecurity of different 
components of voting systems, end-to-end verifiable systems, voter 
privacy and data protection, election auditing, interoperability of 
system technologies, and ballot tracking.
  Importantly, the bill also amends the Help America Vote Act to expand 
the definition of voting systems to include electronic pollbooks, voter 
registration databases, systems for carrying out post-election 
auditing, and related technology. This will lead to improved guidance 
to election administrators for these systems by the Election Assistance 
Commission and its partners, which include NIST.
  I am pleased to support H.R. 4990 and urge its passage.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4990, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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