,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bade ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ac1 #bjad,mrs4 ,feinstein 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,reid1 and ,mr4 ,durbin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to permit facilities of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veteran ,voting ,support ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,veterans have performed a great service to1 and risked the greatest sacrifice in the name of1 our country1 and should be supported by the people and the ,government of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,veterans are especially qualified to understand issues of war1 foreign policy1 and government support for veterans1 and they should have the opportunity to voice that understanding through voting4 7#c7 ,the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs should assist veterans to register to vote and to vote4 #c4 ,voter registration and assistance 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall provide a mail voter registration application form to each veteran-- 7#a7 who seeks to enroll in the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care system 7including enrollment in a medical center1 a community living center1 a community-based outpatient center1 or a domiciliary of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care system71 at the time of such enrollment2 and 7#b7 who is enrolled in such health care system-- 7,a7 at any time when there is a change in the enrollment status of the veteran2 and 7,b7 at any time when there is a change in the address of the veteran4 7b7 ,providing voter registration information and assistance ,the ,secretary shall provide to each veteran described in subsection 7a7 the same degree of information and assistance with voter registration as is provided by the ,department with regard to the completion of its own forms1 unless the applicant refuses such assistance4 7c7 ,transmittal of voter registration application forms 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall accept completed voter registration application forms for transmittal to the appropriate ,state election official4 7#b7 ,transmittal deadline 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 a completed voter registration application form accepted at a medical center1 community living center1 community-based outpatient center1 or domiciliary of the ,department shall be transmitted to the appropriate ,state election official not later than #aj days after the date of acceptance4 7,b7 ,exception ,if a completed voter registration application form is accepted within #e days before the last day for registration to vote in an election1 the application shall be transmitted to the appropriate ,state election official not later than #e days after the date of acceptance4 7d7 ,requirements of voter registration information and assistance ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the information and assistance with voter registration that is provided under subsection 7b7 will not-- 7#a7 seek to influence an applicant's political preference or party registration2 7#b7 display any such political preference or party allegiance2 7#c7 make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote2 or 7#d7 make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision to register or not register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits4 7e7 ,limitation on use of information ,no information relating to registering to vote1 or a declination to register to vote1 under this section may be used for any purpose other than voter registration4 7f7 ,enforcement 7#a7 ,notice 7,a7 ,notice to the facility director or the secretary ,a person who is aggrieved by a violation of this section or section #d may provide written notice of the violation to the ,director of the facility of the ,department health care system involved or to the ,secretary4 ,the ,director or the ,secretary shall respond to a written notice provided under the preceding sentence within #bj days of receipt of such written notice4 7,b7 ,notice to the ,attorney ,general and the ,election ,assistance ,commission ,if the violation is not corrected within #ij days after receipt of a notice under subparagraph 7,a71 the aggrieved person may provide written notice of the violation to the ,attorney ,general and the ,election ,assistance ,commission4 7#b7 ,attorney general ,the ,attorney ,general may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to carry out this section or section #d4 #d4 ,assistance with absentee ballots 7a7 ,in general ,consistent with ,state and local laws1 each director of a community living center1 a domiciliary1 or a medical center of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care system shall provide assistance in voting by absentee ballot to veterans residing in the community living center or domiciliary or who are inpatients of the medical center1 as the case may be4 7b7 ,assistance provided ,the assistance provided under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7 providing information relating to the opportunity to request an absentee ballot2 7#b7 making available absentee ballot applications upon request1 as well as assisting in completing such applications and ballots2 and 7#c7 working with local election administration officials to ensure proper transmission of absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots4 #e4 ,information provided by nonpartisan organizations ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall permit nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance at facilities of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care system1 subject to reasonable time1 place1 and manner restrictions1 including limiting activities to regular business hours and requiring advance notice4 #f4 ,assistance provided by election officials at department of veterans affairs facilities 7a7 ,distribution of information 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to reasonable time1 place1 and manner restrictions1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall not prohibit any election administration official1 whether ,state or local1 party-affiliated or non-party affiliated1 or elected or appointed1 from providing voting information to veterans at any facility of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 7#b7 ,voting information ,in this subsection1 the term voting information means nonpartisan information intended for the public about voting1 including information about voter registration1 voting systems1 absentee balloting1 polling locations1 and other important resources for voters4 7b7 ,voter registration services ,the ,secretary shall provide reasonable access to facilities of the ,department health care system to ,state and local election officials for the purpose of providing nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals1 subject to reasonable time1 place1 and manner restrictions1 including limiting activities to regular business hours and requiring advance notice4 #g4 ,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 ,act4 ,such report shall include the following information with respect to the preceding year3 7#a7 ,the number of veterans who were served by facilities of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs health care system4 7#b7 ,the number of such veterans who requested information on or assistance with voter registration4 7#c7 ,the number of such veterans who received information on or assistance with voter registration4 7#d7 ,information with respect to written notices submitted under section #c7;f71 including information with respect to the resolution of the violations alleged in such written notices4 #h4 ,rules of construction 7a7 ,no individual benefit ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to convey a benefit to an individual veteran4 7b7 ,no effect on other laws ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to authorize or require conduct prohibited under any of the following laws1 or to supersede1 restrict1 or limit the application of such laws3 7#a7 ,the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc et seq474 7#b7 ,the ,voting ,accessibility for the ,elderly and ,handicapped ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ee et seq474 7#c7 ,the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff et seq474 7#d7 ,the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;gg et seq474 7#e7 ,the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq474 7#f7 ,the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gja et seq474