Global Electoral Exchange Act of 2021

I 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. 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 prac- tices, cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Electoral Ex- 4 change Act of 2021’’. 5 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 6 It is the sense of Congress that— 7 (1) recent elections globally have illustrated the 8 urgent need for the promotion and exchange of 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1488 IH international best election practices, particularly in 1 the areas of cybersecurity, results transmission, 2 transparency of electoral data, election dispute reso- 3 lution, and the elimination of discriminatory reg- 4 istration practices and other electoral irregularities; 5 (2) the advancement of democracy worldwide 6 promotes United States interests, as stable democ- 7 racies provide new market opportunities and pro- 8 mote economic freedom and regional security; 9 (3) credible elections are the cornerstone of a 10 healthy democracy and enable all persons to exercise 11 their basic human right to have a say in how they 12 are governed; 13 (4) inclusive elections strengthen the credibility 14 and stability of democracies more broadly; 15 (5) at the heart of a strong election cycle is the 16 professionalism of the election management body 17 and an empowered civil society; 18 (6) the development of local expertise via peer- 19 to-peer learning and exchanges promotes the inde- 20 pendence of such bodies from internal and external 21 influence; and 22 (7) supporting the efforts of peoples in democ- 23 ratizing societies to build more representative gov- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1488 IH ernments in their respective countries is in the na- 1 tional interest of the United States. 2 SEC. 3. GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE. 3 (a) GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE.—The Sec- 4 retary of State is authorized to establish and administer 5 a Global Electoral Exchange Program to promote the utili- 6 zation of sound election administration practices around 7 the world. 8 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Global Electoral 9 Exchange Program described in subsection (a) shall in- 10 clude the promotion and exchange of international best 11 election practices, including in the following areas: 12 (1) Cybersecurity. 13 (2) Results transmission. 14 (3) Transparency of electoral data. 15 (4) Election dispute resolution. 16 (5) The elimination of discriminatory registra- 17 tion practices and electoral irregularities. 18 (6) Equitable access to polling places, voter 19 education information, and voting mechanisms (in- 20 cluding by persons with disabilities). 21 (7) Other sound election administration prac- 22 tices. 23 (c) EXCHANGE OF ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1488 IH (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State may, 1 in consultation, as appropriate, with the Adminis- 2 trator of the United States Agency for International 3 Development, make grants to any United States- 4 based organization described in section 501(c)(3) of 5 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 6 tax under section 501(a) of such Code with experi- 7 ence in and a primary focus on foreign comparative 8 election systems or subject matter expertise in the 9 administration or integrity of such systems that sub- 10 mits an application in such form, and satisfying 11 such requirements, as the Secretary may require. 12 (2) TYPES OF GRANTS.—An organization de- 13 scribed in paragraph (1) may receive a grant for one 14 or more of the following purposes: 15 (A) To design and implement programs 16 bringing election administrators and officials, 17 including government officials, poll workers, 18 civil society representatives, members of the ju- 19 diciary, and others who participate in the orga- 20 nization and administration of public elections 21 in a foreign country that faces challenges to its 22 electoral process to the United States to study 23 election procedures in the United States for 24 educational purposes. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1488 IH (B) To design and implement programs 1 taking the United States or another country’s 2 election administrators and officials, including 3 government officials, poll workers, civil society 4 representatives, members of the judiciary, and 5 others who participate in the organization and 6 administration of public elections to countries 7 other than the United States to study and dis- 8 cuss election procedures for educational pur- 9 poses. 10 (3) LIMITS ON ACTIVITIES.—Activities adminis- 11 tered under the Global Electoral Exchange Program 12 may not— 13 (A) include observation of an election for 14 the purposes of assessing the validity or legit- 15 imacy of that election; 16 (B) facilitate any advocacy for a certain 17 electoral result by a grantee when participating 18 in the Program; or 19 (C) be carried out without proper consulta- 20 tion with State and local authorities in the 21 United States that administer elections. 22 (4) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 23 Congress that the Secretary of State should estab- 24 lish and maintain a network of Global Electoral Ex- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1488 IH change Program alumni, to promote communication 1 and further exchange of information regarding 2 sound election administration practices among cur- 3 rent and former Program participants. 4 (5) FURTHER LIMITS.—A recipient of a grant 5 under the Global Electoral Exchange Program may 6 use such grant for only the purpose for which such 7 grant was awarded, unless otherwise authorized by 8 the Secretary of State. 9 (6) NOT DUPLICATIVE.—Grants made under 10 this subsection may not be duplicative of any other 11 grants made under any other provision of law for 12 similar or related purposes. 13 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 14 authorized to be appropriated for $5,000,000 for each of 15 fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to carry out subsections 16 (a), (b), and (c). 17 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. 18 Not later than one year after the date of the enact- 19 ment of this Act and annually thereafter for two years, 20 the Secretary of State shall provide to the Committee on 21 Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 22 Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a briefing 23 on the status of any activities carried out pursuant to this 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 1488 IH Act during the immediately preceding year, which shall in- 1 clude, among other information, the following: 2 (1) A summary of all exchanges conducted 3 under the Global Electoral Exchange Program pur- 4 suant to section 3, including information regarding 5 grantees, participants, and the locations where Pro- 6 gram activities were held. 7 (2) A description of the criteria used to select 8 grantees under the Global Electoral Exchange Pro- 9 gram. 10 (3) Any recommendations for the improvement 11 of the Global Electoral Exchange Program, based on 12 the purpose specified in section 3(b). 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:30 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1488.IH H1488 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS