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H.R. 4990 · 116th Congress

Election Technology Research Act of 2020

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Passed the House without a recorded vote, then expired. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted, but didn't become law before the 116th Congress ended.

MSD SherrillSponsor
12 cosponsors · 9 D, 3 R
AGR Gonzalez EJD Johnson FLR Lucas TBR Balderson KHD Horn EPD Perlmutter DLD Lipinski ECD Case JVD Van Drew JHD Harder AKD Kuster ESD Slotkin

3 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

  1. House Introduced Nov 8, 2019
  2. House Passed Sep 16, 2020

This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other agencies to support research on voting systems.

What it does: CRS summary · Passed House · Sep 16, 2020

Election Technology Research Act of 2020

This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other agencies to support research on voting systems.

(Sec. 2) NIST, in collaboration with the NSF, must carry out research related to the security and integrity of voting systems.

NIST shall make an award to an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization to establish a Center of Excellence in Election Systems.

(Sec. 3) The NSF, in collaboration with other agencies, shall award basic research grants to increase the understanding of cyber and other threats to voting systems and to inform the development of technologies, processes, and policies that contribute to more secure, fair, and accessible elections.

The NSF shall award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations to establish at least one multidisciplinary center for elections systems research and education.

(Sec. 4) NIST shall establish and make available common data format specifications for auditing, voter registration, and other elements of voting systems.

(Sec. 5) The General Accountability Office must report on, among other things, the extent to which NIST's efforts to assist in the development of voluntary voting systems guidelines have resulted in market-ready standardized voting equipment and software.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Election Technology Research Act of 2020

Also known as: Election Technology Research Act of 2019

Latest action (Sep 17, 2020): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Nov 8, 2019

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

  1. House Introduced Nov 8, 2019
  2. House Passed Sep 16, 2020

No recorded floor vote found.