[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4515. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 4420 proposed by Mr. Thune (for Mr. Schmitt) to the bill 
S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SPECIAL RULES FOR VOTERS WHOSE ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS 
                   WERE LOST OR DESTROYED DURING A FEDERALLY 
                   DECLARED DISASTER.

       (a) Registration.--Section 8(j)(3) of the National Voter 
     Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20503), as amended by 
     this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) Process in the case of documents lost or destroyed in 
     federally declared disasters.--Each State shall establish a 
     process under which an individual who has had documentary 
     proof of United States citizenship lost or destroyed as a 
     result of a Federally declared disaster may submit evidence 
     to the appropriate State or local official demonstrating the 
     loss or destruction of such documents and that the applicant 
     is a citizen of the United States and such official shall 
     make a determination as to whether the applicant has 
     sufficiently established United States citizenship for 
     purposes of registering to vote in elections for Federal 
     office in the State.''.
       (b) Voting Identification Requirement.--Section 303A(a) of 
     the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by this Act, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) Rules for individuals with identification destroyed 
     in federally declared disasters.--Notwithstanding paragraphs 
     (1) and (2), each State shall establish a process under which 
     an individual who has had a valid photo identification lost 
     or destroyed as a result of a Federally declared disaster may 
     be provided a ballot upon demonstrating the loss or 
     destruction of such identification.''.
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