[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6625 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
2d Session
H. R. 6625
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 22 (legislative day, September 17), 2008
Received
October 2 (legislative day, September 17), 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of
the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter
registration agencies, 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 ``Veteran Voting Support Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Veterans serving in foreign wars have performed a great
service to, and risked the greatest sacrifice in the name of,
our country, and should be supported by the people and the
Government of the United States.
(2) Veterans are especially qualified to understand issues
of war, foreign policy, and government support for veterans,
and they should have the opportunity to voice that
understanding through voting.
(3) The Department of Veterans Affairs should assist
veterans in meeting their medical, social, and civic needs,
including the full participation of veterans in our democracy.
(4) The Department of Veterans Affairs should make every
effort to assist veterans to register to vote and to vote.
SEC. 3. USE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES AS VOTER
REGISTRATION AGENCIES.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit a State to designate
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in such State
as voter registration agencies under section 7 of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-5) solely for the purposes
of providing voter registration services under such section to
individuals receiving services or assistance from the facility (or
applying to receive services or assistance from the facility).
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
In addition to the services required to be provided under section 7
of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-5),
any facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs which is designated
as a voter registration agency under section 3 shall, with respect to
the individuals for whom the facility is required to provide such
services--
(1) provide information relating to the opportunity to
request an absentee ballot;
(2) make available absentee ballot applications and, upon
request, assistance in completing such applications and
absentee ballots, except that nothing in this paragraph may be
construed to waive any requirement under State or local law
regarding an individual's eligibility to receive an absentee
ballot or vote by absentee ballot in any election; and
(3) work with local election officials to ensure the proper
delivery of absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots.
SEC. 5. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATIONS.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit a meaningful
opportunity, including reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions,
for nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information
and assistance at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY ELECTION OFFICIALS AT DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES.
(a) Distribution of Information.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
not prohibit any election administration official, whether
State or local, party-affiliated or non-party affiliated, or
elected or appointed, from providing voting information to
veterans at any facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Voting information.--In this subsection, the term
``voting information'' means nonpartisan information intended
for the public about voting, including information about voter
registration, voting systems, absentee balloting, polling
locations, and other important resources for voters.
(b) Voter Registration Services.--The Secretary shall provide
reasonable access to facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs
to State and local election officials for the purpose of providing
nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals.
(c) Coordination to Minimize Disruption of Regular Activities.--Any
election official providing nonpartisan voting information or
nonpartisan voter registration services under this section at a
facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate the
provision of the information or services with the Secretary to ensure
that the information or services are provided in a manner which
minimizes the disruption of the regular activities of the facility.
SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT ON COMPLIANCE.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress an
annual report on how the Secretary has complied with the requirements
of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2008.
Attest:
LORRAINE C. MILLER,
Clerk.