Bill Summary
The Global Electoral Exchange Act of 2019 is a law passed by the United States Congress that aims to promote international exchanges on best election practices and cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world. It recognizes that recent elections globally have highlighted the need for the exchange of international best practices in areas such as cybersecurity, transparency of electoral data, and election dispute resolution. The Act also acknowledges that promoting democracy around the world benefits American interests. To achieve its goals, the Act authorizes the Secretary of State to establish and administer a Global Electoral Exchange Program that will facilitate exchanges between election administrators and officials from the United States and other countries. The Act also includes provisions for congressional oversight and limits on the activities that can be funded by the program.
Possible Impacts
1. Individuals who are interested in promoting democracy and fair elections may have the opportunity to participate in the Global Electoral Exchange Program and visit other countries to learn about their election practices.
2. Organizations that receive grants under this legislation may have to comply with certain requirements and limitations, such as not advocating for a specific election result or not duplicating other grants for similar purposes.
3. The Secretary of State must provide annual briefings to Congress on the status and effectiveness of the Global Electoral Exchange Program, which could potentially lead to changes or improvements in the program.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 753 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 753
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 21, 2019
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
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
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 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act
and in each of the following 2 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.
Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2019.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.