,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ddgi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #f1 #bjbc,mr4 ,d',esposito introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,house ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb to improve the administration and operation of the ,election ,assistance ,commission1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,positioning the ,election ,assistance ,commission for the ,future ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,findings relating to the administration of the ,election ,assistance ,commission ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,election ,assistance ,commission best serves the ,american people when operating within its core statutory functions1 including serving as a clearinghouse for information on election administration1 providing grants1 and testing and certifying election equipment4 7#b7 ,the ,american people are best served when ,federal agency election assistance is offered by a single agency with expertise in this space4 ,the ,election ,assistance ,commission1 composed of four election experts from different political parties1 is best situated among the ,federal government agencies to offer assistance services to citizens and to guide other ,federal agencies that have responsibilities in the elections space4 ,the ,commission is also best suited to determine the timing of the issuance of any advisories and to disburse all appropriated election grant funding4 7#c7 ,to this end1 ,congress finds that the ,election ,assistance ,commission should be viewed as the lead ,federal government agency on all election administration matters1 and other ,federal agencies operating in this space should look to the ,commission for guidance1 direction1 and support on election administration-related issues4 #c4 ,requirements with respect to staff and funding of the ,election ,assistance ,commission 7a7 ,staff ,section #bjd7;a77#e7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibd7;a77#e77 is amended by striking of such additional personnel and inserting of not more than #ee full-time equivalent employees to carry out the duties and responsibilities under this ,act4 7b7 ,funding ,section #baj of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjicj7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking for each of the fiscal years #bjjc through #bjje and inserting for each of the fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbf2 and 7#b7 by striking 7but not to exceed #aj1jjj1jjj for each such year7 and inserting 7but not to exceed #be1jjj1jjj for each such year74 7c7 ,prohibition on certain use of funds 7#a7 ,prohibition ,none of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available under subsection 7b7 may be obligated or expended for the operation of an advisory committee established by the ,election ,assistance ,commission pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #b71 except with respect to the operation of the ,local ,leadership ,council4 7#b7 ,no effect on entities established by ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb ,paragraph 7#a7 does not apply with respect to the operation of any entity established by the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 including the ,election ,assistance ,commission ,standards ,board1 the ,election ,assistance ,commission ,board of ,advisors1 and the ,technical ,guidelines ,development ,committee4 7d7 ,requirements with respect to compensation of members of the ,commission ,section #bjc7;d7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibc7;d77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking at the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code and inserting at an annual rate of basic pay equal to the amount of #ahf1cjj1 as adjusted under section #ecah of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 in the same manner as the annual rate of pay for positions at each level of the ,executive ,schedule2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking ,no member appointed and inserting ,except as provided in paragraph 7#c71 no member appointed2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#c7 ,supplemental employment and compensation ,an individual serving a term of service on the ,commission shall be permitted to hold a position at an institution of higher education 7as such term is defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja77 if-- 7,a7 the ,general ,counsel of the ,election ,assistance ,commission determines that such position does not create a conflict of interest with the individual's position as a sitting member of the ,commission and grants the individual approval to hold the position2 and 7,b7 the annual rate of compensation received by the individual from such institution is not greater than the amount equal to #di4i percent of the annual rate of basic pay paid to the individual under paragraph 7#a74 4 7e7 ,office of ,inspector ,general ,section #bjd of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibd7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7f7 ,office of ,inspector ,general ,the ,inspector ,general of the ,election ,assistance ,commission may appoint not more than #g full-time equivalent employees to assist the ,inspector ,general to carry out the duties and responsibilities under section #d of the ,inspector ,general ,act of #aigh 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #d71 of whom #b shall have primarily administrative duties and responsibilities4 4 7f7 ,effective date ,this section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on ,october #a1 #bjbc4 #d4 ,exclusive authority of ,election ,assistance ,commission to make election administration payments to ,states 7a7 ,in general ,no entity of the ,federal ,government other than the ,election ,assistance ,commission may make any payment to a ,state for purposes of administering elections for ,federal office1 including obtaining election and voting equipment and infrastructure1 enhancing election and voting technology1 and making election and voting security improvements1 including with respect to cybersecurity and infrastructure4 7b7 ,effective date ,subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect to payments made on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #e4 ,executive ,board of the ,standards ,board authority to enter into contracts ,section #bac7;c7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjidc7;c77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 ,authority to enter into contracts ,the ,executive ,board of the ,standards ,board may1 using amounts already made available to the ,commission1 enter into contracts to employ and retain no more than #b individuals to enable the ,standards ,board to discharge its duties with respect to the examination and release of voluntary considerations with respect to the administration of elections for ,federal offices by the ,states under section #bdg1 except that-- 7,a7 no more than #a individual from the same political party may be employed under such contracts at the same time2 7,b7 the authority to enter into such contracts shall end on the earlier of the date of the release of the considerations or ,december #ca1 #bjbd2 and 7,c7 no additional funds may be appropriated to the ,commission for the purposes of carrying out this paragraph4 4 #f4 ,election ,assistance ,commission primary role in election administration ,except as provided in any other provision of law1 the ,election ,assistance ,commission shall1 with respect to any other entity of the ,federal ,government1 have primary jurisdiction to address issues with respect to the administration of elections for ,federal office4 #g4 ,general requirements for payments made by ,election ,assistance ,commission 7a7 ,prohibiting use of payments for ,get-,out-the-,vote-,activity ,subtitle ,d of title ,,ii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new part3 #g ,general ,requirements for ,payments #big4 ,prohibiting use of payments for get-out-the-vote-activity 7a7 ,prohibition ,no payment made to a ,state or unit of local government by the ,commission may be used for get-out-the-vote activity4 7b7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term get-out-the-vote activity means1 with respect to a payment made to a ,state or unit of local government1 any activity which1 at the time the payment is made1 is treated as get-out-the-vote-activity under the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act of #aiga and the regulations promulgated by the ,federal ,election ,commission to carry out such ,act4 4 7b7 ,requiring disclaimer in communications ,part #g of subtitle ,d of title ,,ii of such ,act1 as added by subsection 7b71 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #big;,a4 ,requiring communications funded by payments to include disclaimer 7a7 ,requirement ,if a ,state or unit of local government disseminates a public communication which was developed or disseminated in whole or in part with a payment made to the ,state or local government by the ,commission under this ,act or any other ,act1 the ,state or unit of local government shall ensure that the communication includes1 in a clear and conspicuous manner1 the following statement3 ,paid for using ,federal taxpayer funds pursuant to the ,help ,america ,vote ,act4 7b7 ,clear and conspicuous manner described ,a statement required under subsection 7a7 shall be considered to be in a clear and conspicuous manner if the statement meets the following requirements3 7#a7 ,text or graphic communications ,in the case of a text or graphic communication1 the statement-- 7,a7 appears in letters at least as large as the majority of the text in the communication 7,b7 is contained in a printed box set apart from the other contents of the communication2 and 7,c7 is printed with a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement4 7#b7 ,audio communications ,in the case of an audio communication1 the statement is spoken in a clearly audible and intelligible manner at the beginning or end of the communication and lasts at least #c seconds4 7#c7 ,video communications ,in the case of a video communication which also includes audio1 the statement-- 7,a7 is included at either the beginning or the end of the communication2 and 7,b7 is made both in-- 7i7 a written format that meets the requirements of subparagraph 7,a7 and appears for at least #d seconds2 and 7ii7 an audible format that meets the requirements of subparagraph 7,b74 7#d7 ,other communications ,in the case of any other type of communication1 the statement is at least as clear and conspicuous as the statement specified in paragraph 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c74 7c7 ,public communication ,in this section1 the term public communication means a communication relating to the administration of an election for ,federal office by means of any broadcast1 cable1 or satellite communication1 newspaper1 magazine1 outdoor advertising facility1 mass mailing1 or telephone bank to the general public1 or any other form of general public advertising4 4 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting at the end of the items relating to subtitle ,d of title ,,ii the following3 ,part #g--;,general ,requirements for ,payments,sec4 #big4 ,prohibiting use of payments for get-out-the-vote-activity4,sec4 #big;,a4 ,requiring communications funded by payments to include disclaimer4 4 7d7 ,effective date ,this section and the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to payments made on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act4