[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1488 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1488
To promote international exchanges on best election practices,
cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world, and for
other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2021
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself, Mrs. Wagner, Ms. Titus, and Mr.
Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote international exchanges on best election practices,
cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world, and for
other purposes.
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 ``Global Electoral Exchange Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) recent elections globally have illustrated the urgent
need for the promotion and exchange of international best
election practices, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity,
results transmission, transparency of electoral data, election
dispute resolution, and the elimination of discriminatory
registration practices and other electoral irregularities;
(2) the advancement of democracy worldwide promotes United
States interests, as stable democracies provide new market
opportunities and promote economic freedom and regional
security;
(3) credible elections are the cornerstone of a healthy
democracy and enable all persons to exercise their basic human
right to have a say in how they are governed;
(4) inclusive elections strengthen the credibility and
stability of democracies more broadly;
(5) at the heart of a strong election cycle is the
professionalism of the election management body and an
empowered civil society;
(6) the development of local expertise via peer-to-peer
learning and exchanges promotes the independence of such bodies
from internal and external influence; and
(7) supporting the efforts of peoples in democratizing
societies to build more representative governments in their
respective countries is in the national interest of the United
States.
SEC. 3. GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE.
(a) Global Electoral Exchange.--The Secretary of State is
authorized to establish and administer a Global Electoral Exchange
Program to promote the utilization of sound election administration
practices around the world.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Global Electoral Exchange Program
described in subsection (a) shall include the promotion and exchange of
international best election practices, including in the following
areas:
(1) Cybersecurity.
(2) Results transmission.
(3) Transparency of electoral data.
(4) Election dispute resolution.
(5) The elimination of discriminatory registration
practices and electoral irregularities.
(6) Equitable access to polling places, voter education
information, and voting mechanisms (including by persons with
disabilities).
(7) Other sound election administration practices.
(c) Exchange of Electoral Authorities.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State may, in
consultation, as appropriate, with the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development, make grants
to any United States-based organization described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from
tax under section 501(a) of such Code with experience in and a
primary focus on foreign comparative election systems or
subject matter expertise in the administration or integrity of
such systems that submits an application in such form, and
satisfying such requirements, as the Secretary may require.
(2) Types of grants.--An organization described in
paragraph (1) may receive a grant for one or more of the
following purposes:
(A) To design and implement programs bringing
election administrators and officials, including
government officials, poll workers, civil society
representatives, members of the judiciary, and others
who participate in the organization and administration
of public elections in a foreign country that faces
challenges to its electoral process to the United
States to study election procedures in the United
States for educational purposes.
(B) To design and implement programs taking the
United States or another country's election
administrators and officials, including government
officials, poll workers, civil society representatives,
members of the judiciary, and others who participate in
the organization and administration of public elections
to countries other than the United States to study and
discuss election procedures for educational purposes.
(3) Limits on activities.--Activities administered under
the Global Electoral Exchange Program may not--
(A) include observation of an election for the
purposes of assessing the validity or legitimacy of
that election;
(B) facilitate any advocacy for a certain electoral
result by a grantee when participating in the Program;
or
(C) be carried out without proper consultation with
State and local authorities in the United States that
administer elections.
(4) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Secretary of State should establish and maintain a network
of Global Electoral Exchange Program alumni, to promote
communication and further exchange of information regarding
sound election administration practices among current and
former Program participants.
(5) Further limits.--A recipient of a grant under the
Global Electoral Exchange Program may use such grant for only
the purpose for which such grant was awarded, unless otherwise
authorized by the Secretary of State.
(6) Not duplicative.--Grants made under this subsection may
not be duplicative of any other grants made under any other
provision of law for similar or related purposes.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026
to carry out subsections (a), (b), and (c).
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act
and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of State shall
provide to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a
briefing on the status of any activities carried out pursuant to this
Act during the immediately preceding year, which shall include, among
other information, the following:
(1) A summary of all exchanges conducted under the Global
Electoral Exchange Program pursuant to section 3, including
information regarding grantees, participants, and the locations
where Program activities were held.
(2) A description of the criteria used to select grantees
under the Global Electoral Exchange Program.
(3) Any recommendations for the improvement of the Global
Electoral Exchange Program, based on the purpose specified in
section 3(b).
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