,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hjib ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,august #bb1 #bjbj,ms4 ,jackson ,lee 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,lawrence1 ,mr4 ,raskin1 ,ms4 ,kelly of ,illinois1 ,ms4 ,blunt ,rochester1 ,mr4 ,tonko1 ,mr4 ,garca of ,illinois1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,ms4 ,fudge1 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney1 ,ms4 ,sewell of ,alabama1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,mr4 ,cohen1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,ms4 ,kaptur1 ,mr4 ,khanna1 ,mr4 ,mfume1 ,ms4 ,sherrill1 ,ms4 ,tlaib1 ,mr4 ,cuellar1 and ,mr4 ,neguse7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,house ,administration1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb to establish the methods by which individuals may apply for an absentee ballot in elections for ,federal office1 to permit individuals to cast absentee ballots at polling places and early voting locations on or before the date of the election1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 findings 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,protecting ,democracy by ,securing the ,right ,to ,vote by ,mail ,act4 7b7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the freedoms of the press and of speech guaranteed in the ,first ,amendment to the ,constitution and the establishment of a national postal system1 an authority vested by the ,constitution in the ,congress in article ,i1 section #h1 clause #g1 are indispensable features of a strong and stable democracy4 7#b7 ,a national postal system to collect and distribute mail efficiently1 affordably1 reliably1 and without regard to the sender's or recipient's race1 creed1 color1 national origin1 religion1 region of residence1 or political affiliation strengthens and fortifies democracy by enabling all persons to communicate with any or all other ,americans4 7#c7 ,a functioning and effective national postal system strengthens the economy by facilitating the efficient delivery of goods and services1 promotes the public health by facilitating the timely delivery of needed medical supplies and prescription drugs to senior citizens and veterans1 and enriches civil society by facilitating the delivery of letters of greetings1 sympathy1 congratulations1 and love1 thus strengthening the mystic bonds of affection of ,americans for each other and for the ,united ,states4 #b4 ,rules for treatment of absentee ballots 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajha et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #cjc the following new section3 #cjc;,a4 ,rules for treatment of absentee ballots 7a7 ,methods for requesting ballot ,in addition to such other methods as the ,state may establish for an individual to request an absentee ballot1 the ,state shall permit an individual to submit a request for an absentee ballot through the internet or mobile application and by telephone4 ,the ,state shall be considered to meet the requirements of this paragraph if the website of the appropriate ,state or local election official allows an absentee ballot request application to be completed and submitted online and if the website permits the individual-- 7#a7 to print the application so that the individual may complete the application and return it to the official2 or 7#b7 to request that a paper copy of the application be transmitted to the individual by mail or electronic mail so that the individual may complete the application and return it to the official4 7b7 ,methods for returning ballots ,in addition to permitting an individual to whom an absentee ballot in an election was provided to return the ballot to an election official by mail1 the ,state shall permit the individual to cast the ballot by delivering the ballot at such times and to such locations as the ,state may establish1 including-- 7#a7 permitting the individual to deliver the ballot to a polling place on any date on which voting in the election is held at the polling place2 and 7#b7 permitting the individual to deliver the ballot to a designated ballot drop-off location4 7c7 ,deadline for acceptance of ballots ,a ,state may not refuse to accept or process an absentee ballot submitted by an individual by mail with respect to an election for ,federal office in the ,state on the grounds that the individual did not meet a deadline for returning the ballot to the appropriate ,state or local election official if-- 7#a7 the ballot is postmarked1 signed1 or otherwise indicated by the ,united ,states ,postal ,service to have been mailed on or before the date of the election2 and 7#b7 the ballot is received by the appropriate election official prior to the expiration of the #aj-;day period 7excluding ,saturdays1 ,sundays1 and legal public holidays7 which begins on the date of the election4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment relating to enforcement ,section #dja of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended by striking and #cjc and inserting #cjc1 and #cjc;,a4 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cjc the following new item3 ,sec4 #cjc;,a4 ,rules for treatment of absentee ballots4 4 #c4 ,,gao report on ,postal ,service ,not later than #bfj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general shall submit a report to ,congress on the critical need for a fully staffed and fully operational ,united ,states ,postal ,service to carry out elections1 domestic and international commerce1 and protection of constitutional rights including the ,first ,amendment rights of freedom of speech1 assembly1 press1 and religion4 ,the report shall include-- 7#a7 a review of the current level of ,postal ,service staffing1 funding1 equipment1 technology1 vehicles1 training1 compensation1 recruitment and retention1 diversity1 and opportunities provided to workers for advancement and stable work1 as well as competitive income2 and 7#b7 recommendations on how the ,postal ,service may be improved to provide low-cost and efficient postal delivery services #f days a week to every government1 residential1 and business address4