[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 113 (Monday, June 30, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4235-S4236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2850. Mr. PADILLA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 1, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to
title II of H. Con. Res. 14; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:
At the appropriate place in title V, insert the following:
SEC. 5____. ELECTION SECURITY.
(a) Election Security Grant Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund to be known as the ``Election
Security Grant Fund'', consisting of amounts transferred
pursuant to paragraph (2).
(2) Transfers to fund.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of
section 104(b) of the REPO for Ukrainians Act (Public Law
118-50; 22 U.S.C. 9521 note), the Secretary of the Treasury
shall transfer to the Election Security Fund an amount equal
to $1,000,000,000 of the Russian sovereign assets seized
under that section.
(3) Expenditures from the fund.--Amounts in the Election
Security Grant Fund shall be available for payments to States
under title X of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added
by subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Election Security Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52
U.S.C. 20901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new title:
``TITLE X--ELECTION SECURITY GRANTS
``SEC. 1001. ELECTION SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--For each fiscal year, the Commission
shall establish a program under which the Commission shall
make a payment to each State in which the chief executive
officer of the State, or designee, in consultation and
coordination with the chief State election official--
``(1) agrees to comply with the requirements of section
1003; and
``(2) notifies the Commission that the State intends to use
the payment in accordance with this section.
``(b) Use of Payments.--
``(1) In general.--A State shall use the funds provided
under a payment made under this section for activities to
improve the administration of elections for Federal office,
including to enhance election technology and make election
security improvements.
``(2) Limitation.--A State may not use the funds provided
under a payment made under this section--
``(A) to pay costs associated with any litigation, except
to the extent that such costs otherwise constitute permitted
uses of a payment under this section; or
``(B) for the payment of any judgment.
``(c) Use of Funds to Be Consistent With Other Laws and
Requirements.--In order to receive a payment under the
program under this section, the State shall provide the
Commission with certifications that--
[[Page S4236]]
``(1) the State will use the funds provided under the
payment in a manner that is consistent with each of the laws
described in section 906, as such laws relate to the
provisions of this Act; and
``(2) the proposed uses of the funds are not inconsistent
with the requirements of title III.
``(d) Amount of Annual Payment.--
``(1) In general.--The amount of payment made to a State
under this section for any fiscal year shall be the minimum
payment amount described in paragraph (2) plus the voting age
population proportion amount described in paragraph (3).
``(2) Minimum payment amount.--The minimum payment amount
described in this paragraph is--
``(A) in the case of any of the several States or the
District of Columbia, one-half of 1 percent of the annual
payment amount; and
``(B) in the case of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam,
American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, or the
Northern Mariana Islands, one-tenth of 1 percent of such
annual payment amount.
``(3) Voting age population proportion amount.--The voting
age population proportion amount described in this paragraph
is the product of--
``(A) the annual payment amount minus the total of all of
the minimum payment amounts determined under paragraph (2);
and
``(B) the voting age population proportion for the State
(as defined in paragraph (4)).
``(4) Voting age population proportion defined.--The term
`voting age population proportion' means, with respect to a
State, the amount equal to the quotient of--
``(A) the voting age population of the State (as reported
in the most recent decennial census); and
``(B) the total voting age population of all States (as
reported in the most recent decennial census).
``(e) Timing of Payment.--A payment under this section for
any fiscal year shall be made not later than 45 days after
the first day of such fiscal year.
``SEC. 1002. ANNUAL PAYMENT AMOUNT.
``For purposes of this title, the term `annual payment
amount' means, for any fiscal year, $100,000,000.
``SEC. 1003. REQUIREMENTS.
``(a) Deposit of Amounts in State Election Fund.--When a
State has established an election fund described in section
254(b), the State shall ensure that any funds provided to the
State under this title are deposited and maintained in such
fund.
``(b) State Share.--Not later than 2 years after receiving
a payment under this title for any year, a State shall make
available funds for activities described in subsection
1001(b)(1) in an amount equal to 20 percent of the total
amount of the payment to the State for such year.
``(c) Reports.--A State shall submit to the Commission
quarterly financial reports and annual progress reports.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 1986 is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``TITLE X--ELECTION SECURITY GRANTS
``Sec. 1001. Election security grant program.
``Sec. 1002. Annual payment amount.
``Sec. 1003. Requirements.''.
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