HOUSE 4116th CongressReferred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.

Calling for credible, transparent, and peaceful elections in Nigeria, and for other purposes.

Last Action: 3/14/2019

Actions

2020-07-27Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.
2019-12-09Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
2019-12-06Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2019-12-06On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654). (text: CR H9308-9312)
2019-12-06Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654).(text: CR H9308-9312)
2019-12-06On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 200 - 215 (Roll no. 653).
2019-12-06The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
2019-12-06DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Rodney Davis (IL) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment inserting a new section entitled rule of construction which states that nothing in this Act may be construed to allow fines or other amounts paid to the United States in connection with a violation of title I of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 including any amount paid pursuant to a settlement agreement, to be used to make a payment in support of a campaign for election for the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
2019-12-06Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H9331)
2019-12-06Pursuant to clause 1(c) of Rule XIX proceedings on H.R. 4 resumed. (consideration: CR H9331-9334)
2019-12-06POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on H.R. 4.
2019-12-06The previous question was ordered without objection.
2019-12-06DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4.
2019-12-06The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Res. 326 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The rule provides that the amendments to H. Res. 326 and preamble, modified by the amendments in Part B of the report are considered as adopted.
2019-12-06Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 741. (consideration: CR H9308-9330)

Showing 15 of 20 actions. Full history on Congress.gov.

CRS Summary

As of 2019-12-06 (53)

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices in these areas may take effect. (Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.)

A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if (1) 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or (2) 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years.

A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a voting practice to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from preclearance.

All jurisdictions must preclear changes to requirements for documentation to vote that make the requirements more stringent than federal requirements for voters who register by mail or state law.

The bill specifies practices jurisdictions meeting certain thresholds regarding racial minority groups, language minority groups, or minority groups on Indian land, must preclear before implementing. These practices include changes to methods of election, changes to jurisdiction boundaries, redistricting, changes to voting locations and opportunities, and changes to voter registration list maintenance.

The bill expands the circumstances under which (1) a court may retain the authority to preclear voting changes made by a state or political subdivision, or (2) the Department of Justice may assign election observers.

States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices.

The bill revises the circumstances under which a court must grant preliminary injunctive relief in a challenge to voting practices.

Cosponsors (20)

JOHN LEWIS (D-GA)
NANCY PELOSI (D-CA)
STENY HOYER (D-MD)
JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC)
Ben Luján (D-NM)
Judy Chu (D-CA)
Joaquin Castro (D-TX)
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Alma Adams (D-NC)
Pete Aguilar (D-CA)
Colin Allred (D-TX)
Karen Bass (D-CA)
Joyce Beatty (D-OH)
Ami Bera (D-CA)
Donald Beyer (D-VA)
SANFORD BISHOP (D-GA)
EARL BLUMENAUER (D-OR)
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Brendan Boyle (D-PA)

Subjects

Civil actions and liability
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Federal-Indian relations
Jurisdiction and venue
Racial and ethnic relations
State and local government operations
Voting rights

Read on Congress.gov

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