HR 6339
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6339
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide additional leave
for Federal employees to serve as poll workers, and to direct the Election
Assistance Commission to make grants to States for poll worker recruitment
and training.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 20, 2008
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California (for herself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MORAN of
Virginia, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. HOYER) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide additional leave
for Federal employees to serve as poll workers, and to direct the Election
Assistance Commission to make grants to States for poll worker recruitment
and training.
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 `Federal Employees Deserve to Volunteer on the
Elections Act of 2008' or the `FEDVOTE Act of 2008'.
SEC. 2. LEAVE TO SERVE AS A POLL WORKER.
(a) In General- Subchapter II of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
`Sec. 6329. Absence in connection with serving as a poll worker
`(a) In General- An employee in or under an Executive agency is entitled to
leave, without loss of or reduction in pay, leave to which otherwise entitled,
credit for time or service, or performance or efficiency rating, not to exceed
6 days in a leave year, in order--
`(1) to provide election administration assistance to a State or unit of
local government at a polling place on the date of any election for public
office; or
`(2) to receive any training without which such employee would be ineligible
to provide such assistance.
`(b) Regulations- The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe
regulations for the administration of this section, including regulations
setting forth the terms and conditions of the election administration assistance
an employee may provide for purposes of subsection (a).'.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for chapter 63 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 6328
the following:
`6329. Absence in connection with serving as a poll worker.'.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES FOR POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING.
(a) Grants by Election Assistance Commission-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Election Assistance Commission (hereafter referred to
as the `Commission') shall make a grant to each eligible State for recruiting
and training individuals to serve as nonpartisan poll workers on dates of
elections for public office.
(2) USE OF COMMISSION MATERIALS- In carrying out activities with a grant
provided under this section, the recipient of the grant shall use the manual
prepared by the Commission on successful practices for poll worker recruiting,
training and retention as an interactive training tool, and shall develop
training programs with the participation and input of experts in adult learning.
(b) Requirements for Eligibility-
(1) APPLICATION- Each State that desires to receive a payment under this
section shall submit an application for the payment to the Commission at
such time and in such manner and containing such information as the Commission
shall require.
(2) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION- Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall--
(A) describe the activities for which assistance under this section is
sought;
(B) provide assurances that the funds provided under this section will
be used to supplement and not supplant other funds used to carry out the
activities;
(C) provide assurances that the State will furnish the Commission with
information on the number of individuals who served as nonpartisan poll
workers after recruitment and training with the funds provided under this
section; and
(D) provide such additional information and certifications as the Commission
determines to be essential to ensure compliance with the requirements
of this section.
(1) IN GENERAL- The amount of a grant made to a State under this section
shall be equal to the product of--
(A) the aggregate amount made available for grants to States under this
section; and
(B) the voting age population percentage for the State.
(2) VOTING AGE POPULATION PERCENTAGE DEFINED- In paragraph (1), the `voting
age population percentage' for a State is the quotient of--
(A) the voting age population of the State (as determined on the basis
of the most recent information available from the Bureau of the Census);
and
(B) the total voting age population of all States (as determined on the
basis of the most recent information available from the Bureau of the
Census).
(1) REPORTS BY RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS- Not later than 6 months after the date
on which the final grant is made under this section, each recipient of a
grant shall submit a report to the Commission on the activities conducted
with the funds provided by the grant.
(2) REPORTS BY COMMISSION- Not later than 1 year after the date on which
the final grant is made under this section, the Commission shall submit
a report to Congress on the grants made under this section and the activities
carried out by recipients with the grants, and shall include in the report
such recommendations as the Commission considers appropriate.
(e) State Defined- In this Act, the term `State' includes the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the United
States Virgin Islands.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations-
(1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
section $75,000,000. Any amount appropriated pursuant to the authority of
this subsection shall remain available without fiscal year limitation until
expended.
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- Of the amount appropriated for any fiscal year
pursuant to the authority of this subsection, not more than 3 percent shall
be available for administrative expenses of the Commission.
SEC. 4. EXEMPTION OF ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION FROM PAPERWORK REDUCTION
ACT.
Section 3502(1) of title 44, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking `or' at the end of subparagraph (C);
(2) by striking the semicolon at the end of subparagraph (D) and inserting
`; or'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
`(E) the Election Assistance Commission;'.
END
