May 20, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 84 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H3975-H3976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 2019

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 753) to promote international exchanges on best 
election practices, cultivate more secure democratic institutions 
around the world, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 753

       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 2019''.

     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 
     American interests, as stable democracies provide new market 
     opportunities, improve global health outcomes, 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 areas of--
       (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); and
       (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 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 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.

     SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.

       Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act and in each of the following two years thereafter, 
     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 preceding year, which shall include, among other 
     information, the following:
       (1) A summary of all exchanges conducted under the Global 
     Electoral Exchange Program, 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).

     SEC. 5. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

       No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out the requirements of this Act. Such requirements 
     shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be 
     appropriated.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Castro) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Wright) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 753.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 753, the Global 
Electoral Exchange Act of 2019. I would first like to thank my 
colleague Representative Mark Meadows for his important work on this 
measure that he and I introduced.
  We passed this bill last Congress, and I urge my colleagues to do the 
same

[[Page H3976]]

this Congress. This time, I hope that the Senate acts on this small but 
important measure that will promote best practices in election 
administration worldwide.
  This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to establish an exchange 
program for election officials like poll workers, judges, ballot 
designers, and civil society to promote best practices in election 
administration around the world.
  We would send U.S.-based election administrators and officials abroad 
or bring foreign administrators and officials to the United States in 
order to train and exchange best practices when it comes to election 
administration.
  This bill is a good idea and is needed now more than ever. Election 
irregularities, voter fraud, election manipulation, discriminatory 
registration, access to polls, intimidation and harassment while 
voting, and violence at polling stations are problems that have plagued 
countries around the world. This bill brings people together to tackle 
some of these problems and to ensure that best practices are promoted 
worldwide.
  Credible, transparent, and peaceful elections are the cornerstones of 
a stable and robust democracy. This bill furthers that principle.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support the passage of H.R. 753, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Global Electoral 
Exchange Act authored by my friend and fellow Texan, Mr. Castro.
  Authoritarian regimes are a threat to personal liberty, international 
security, and economic progress all around the world. Countries like 
China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela present major 
roadblocks to global peace and prosperity, but there is nothing that 
dictators fear more than free markets and free people. This is why 
tyrants use repressive tactics to stifle dissent and crack down on 
public protests.
  The world is a safer, more prosperous place when individuals are 
governed as citizens, not subjects. This is why promoting democracy 
abroad has always been a bipartisan cause.
  The United States must maintain its leadership in keeping the flame 
of freedom burning. This legislation gives us another opportunity to be 
that leader.
  The Global Electoral Exchange Act would facilitate the international 
exchange of election monitors, poll workers, and civil society leaders 
who participate in the administration of elections. By promoting best 
practices and empowering foreign societies to conduct elections that 
truly recognize the will of the people, these exchanges will strengthen 
democratic institutions in other countries.
  Let's pass this bill and demonstrate that America remains a beacon of 
hope and freedom to the world by empowering free and fair elections.
  Madam Speaker, I do want to thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. 
Castro) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows) for their 
hard work on this bill. Friends of democracy have an interest in free 
and fair elections that are credible and protected from manipulation. 
This bill promotes that and deserves our unanimous support.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support 
this measure. Once again, I thank my colleague Mark Meadows from North 
Carolina for his support and hard work on this bill.
  The exchanges under this bill would be administered by the State 
Department and by USAID and would promote best practices and strengthen 
electoral institutions around the world.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 753.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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