,,ib ,union ,cal5d> ,no4 #bif #aah? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #feac ,report ,no4 #aah-cfa ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,novemb] #cj1 #bjbc,mr4 ,c>ey 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,morelle1 & ,mr4 ,/eil7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,h\se ,adm9i/ration ,janu>y #bi1 #bjbd;,committ$ to ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole ,h\se on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union & ord]$ to be pr9t$ ,a ,,bill ,to am5d ! ,help ,am]ica ,vote ,act ( #bjjb to confirm ! requirem5t t ,/ates all[ access to designat$ congressional election obs]v]s to obs]ve ! election adm9i/ration proc$ures 9 congressional elections4 #a4 ,%ort title2 f9d+s 7a7 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,confirmation ,( ,congressional ,obs]v] ,access ,act ( #bjbc or ! ,,cocoa ,act ( #bjbc4 7b7 ,f9d+s relat+ to congressional election obs]v]s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,article #a1 section #e1 clause #a ( ! ,con/itution grants ,congress ! au?ority to be ! ,judge ( ! ,elections1 ,returns & ,qualifications ( its own ,memb]s4 7#b7 ,! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives s]ves z ! f9al arbit] ov] any conte/ to ! seat+ ( any putative ,memb]-elect4 7#c7 ,congress has ex]cis$ ?is au?ority--& responsibility--s9ce our ,nation's v beg9n+1 f ! ,fir/ ,congress ?r\gh ! ,"o ,hundr$ ,eighte5? ,congress4 ,ov] our hi/ory1 election conte/s h rema9$ a normal & regul> "p ( ! bi5nial process = elect+1 recogniz+1 & seat+ new ,memb]s4 ,al?\gh ,congress has opt$ to revise ! /atutory framework by :i* x consid]s election conte/s1 consid]ation ( su* conte/s has be5 a regul> & recurr+ "p ( ,congress' con/itutional pr]ogatives & "w4 ,= example1 across our ,nation's hi/ory1 m ?an approximately #faj elections h be5 conte/$ 9 ! ,h\se--an av]age ( m ?an #e p] ,congress4 ,inde$1 ev5 disc\nt+ ! ,recon/ruction p]iod & its surge 9 election conte/s1 !re h be5 #aaj conte/$ election cases consid]$ 9 ! ,h\se s9ce #aicc--;an av]age ( m ?an #b conte/s p] ,congress4 7#d7 ,^! election conte/ proc$ures are conta9$ 9 ! prec$5ts ( ea* ,h\se ( ,congress4 ,fur!r1 = ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives ! proc$ures exi/ "u ! ,f$]al ,conte/$ ,elections ,act4 7#e7 ,= decades1 ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives has appo9t$ its /aff to wat* ! adm9i/ration ( congressional elections 9 ! ,/ates & t]ritories4 ,critically1 congressional obs]v]s s]ve to ga!r real-"t in=mation & data = ! ,h\se 9 anticipation ( an election conte/ be+ fil$4 #b4 ,access = congressional election obs]v]s 7a7 ,access requir$ ,title ,,iii ( ! ,help ,am]ica ,vote ,act ( #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajha et seq47 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+ section #cjd & #cje z sections #cje & #cjf2 & 7#b7 by ins]t+ aft] section #cjc ! foll[+ new section3 #cjd4 ,access = congressional election obs]v]s 7a7 ,f9d+ ( con/itutional au?ority ,congress f9ds t1 reg>dless ( legislative action1 x has ! au?ority to s5d congressional election obs]v]s to obs]ve poll+ locations1 any location :]e process+1 scann+1 tabulat+1 canvass+1 rec\nt+1 audit+1 or c]tify+ vot+ results is occurr+1 or any o!r "p ( ! process associat$ ) elections = ,f$]al (fice "u ! au?orities grant$ "u article #a1 section #e1 clause #a & article #a1 section #d1 clause #a ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,proc$ures describ$ h]e9 d n e/abli% any new au?orities or proc$ures ) respect to ,congress' con/itutional au?ority to obs]ve congressional elections b are provid$ simply to p]mit a conv5i5t /atutory ref]5ce = exi/+ congressional au?ority & activity4 7b7 ,requir+ ,/ates ,to provide access = obs]v]s 7#a7 ,requirem5t ,a ,/ate %all provide ea* individual :o is act+ z a designat$ congressional election obs]v] = an election = ,f$]al (fice ) full access to cle>ly obs]ve all elem5ts ( election adm9i/ration proc$ures1 includ+1 b n limit$ to1 access to any area 9 :i* a ballot is ca/1 process$1 scann$1 tabulat$1 canvass$1 rec\nt$1 audit$1 or c]tifi$1 includ+ dur+ pre- & po/-election proc$ures4 7#b7 ,re/rictions on activities ( obs]v]s ,no designat$ congressional election obs]v] may h&le a ballot or election equipm5t 7:e!r vot+ or nonvot+ or :e!r tabulat+ or nontabulat+71 advocate = any position or c&idate1 take any action to r$uce ballot secrecy or vot] privacy1 take any action to int]f]e ) ! ability ( a vot] to ca/ a ballot or an election adm9i/rator to c>ry ! adm9i/rator's duties1 or o!rwise int]f]e ) ! election adm9i/ration process4 7#c7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all prohibit a designat$ congressional election obs]v] f ask+ que/ions ( an election adm9i/rator1 election (ficial1 or election work]1 or any o!r ,/ate or local (ficial4 7c7 ,conduct ( obs]v]s 7#a7 ,removal 7,a7 ,au?orization removal by election (ficial ,if a ,/ate or local election (ficial has a reasonable basis to believe t a designat$ congressional election obs]v] has engag$ 9 or imm95tly w engage 9 intimidation or deceptive practices prohibit$ by ,f$]al law1 or 9 ! disruption ( vot+1 process+1 scann+1 tabulat+1 canvass+1 or rec\nt+ ( ballots1 or ! c]tification ( results1 a ,/ate or local election (ficial may remove t obs]v] f ! area involv$4 7,b7 ,notice to committee ,if a designat$ congressional election obs]v] is remov$ f an area "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! election (ficial %all-- 7i7 in=m ! *air & rank+ m9ority memb] ( ! ,committee on ,h\se ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives2 & 7ii7 provide writt5 notice detail+ ! reason or reasons ! designat$ congressional election obs]v] 0 remov$4 7#b7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,= purposes ( ?is subsection1 ! m]e pres5ce ( a designat$ congressional election obs]v] dur+ an obs]vation ( election adm9i/ration proc$ures1 )\t any additional indicia support+ a reasonable basis = removal1 is n a suffici5t reason = removal "u subp>agraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,"r to replace obs]v] ,if a designat$ congressional election obs]v] is prop]ly remov$ "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! *air or rank+ m9ority memb] ( ! ,committee on ,h\se ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 z appropriate1 may s5d ano!r designat$ congressional election obs]v] z a replacem5t = ! rema9+ duration ( ! obs]vation ( election adm9i/ration proc$ures4 7#d7 ,cl>ification reg>d+ applicability ( ,code ( ,(ficial ,conduct ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t1 because ! ,code ( ,(ficial ,conduct = ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives 7rule ,,xxiii ( ! ,rules ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives7 requires all employees ( ! ,h\se to behave at all times 9 a mann] t reflects cr$itably on ! ,h\se1 an employee ( ! ,h\se :o s]ves z a designat$ congressional election obs]v] is subject to ! ,code ( ,(ficial ,conduct 9 ! employee's role z su* an obs]v]4 7d7 ,designat$ congressional election obs]v] describ$ ,9 ?is section1 a designat$ congressional election obs]v] is a ,h\se employee 7z contemplat$ by ! ,rules ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives7 :o is designat$ 9 writ+ by ! *air or rank+ m9ority memb] ( ! ,committee on ,h\se ,adm9i/ration ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 or ! successor committee1 to ga!r in=mation ) respect to an election1 includ+ 9 ! ev5t t ! election is conte/$ 9 ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & = o!r purposes p]mitt$ by article #a1 section #e1 clause #a & article #a1 section #d1 clause #a ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7e7 ,/ate def9$ ,9 ?is section ,/ate means ea* ( ! #ej ,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 ! ,commonweal? ( ,pu]to ,rico1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,virg9 ,isl&s1 ,guam1 ,am]ican ,samoa1 & ! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn ,m>iana ,isl&s4 4 7b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5t relat+ to en=cem5t ,section #dja ( su* ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is am5d$ by /rik+ & #cjc & ins]t+ #cjc1 & #cjd4 7c7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( cont5ts ( su* ,act is am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+ ! items relat+ to sections #cjd & #cje z relat+ to sections #cje & #cjf2 & 7#b7 by ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section #cjc ! foll[+3 ,sec4 #cjd4 ,confirm+ access = congressional election obs]v]s4 4 ,janu>y #bi1 #bjbd;,committ$ to ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole ,h\se on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union & ord]$ to be pr9t$