To develop voluntary consensus standards to ensure the accuracy and validation of the voting process, to direct the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to study voter participation and emerging voting technology, to provide grants to States to improve voting methods, and for other purposes.

Summary: American Voting Standards and Technology Act - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to direct the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) develop standard practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary consensus standards needed to assure the accuracy, integrity, and security of voting systems used in the United States; and (2) establish a program to accredit laboratories to test vote casting and counting devices for conformance with such standard practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary consensus standards.Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to the State agency responsible for administering elections in a State for the purpose of: (1) purchasing new or rehabilitated voting equipment that improves the ability of the public to cast a timely and accurate vote; and (2) implementing voter education campaigns.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Voting Standards and 
Technology Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VOTING SYSTEMS STANDARDS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 2(c) of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (21), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (22) as paragraph (23); and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (21) the following:
            ``(22) study automated voting systems used in the United 
        States, including voter registration, vote casting, and vote 
        counting; and''.
    (b) Developing Voting Systems Standards.--The National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 32. VOTING SYSTEMS STANDARDS.

    ``(a) The Secretary, through the Director, shall--
            ``(1) have the mission of developing standard practices, 
        codes, specifications, and voluntary consensus standards needed 
        to assure the accuracy, integrity, and security of voting 
        systems used in the United States, including voter 
        registration, vote casting, and vote counting; and
            ``(2) establish a program with the National Voluntary 
        Laboratory Accreditation Program to accredit laboratories, in 
        accordance with regulations for procedures under such program, 
        to test vote casting and counting devices for conformance with 
        standard practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary 
        consensus standards developed under paragraph (1).
    ``(b) For purposes of subsection (a), the term `voting systems' 
shall include--
            ``(1) every stage of the voting procedure beginning with 
        voter registration through any necessary recount of votes; and
            ``(2) systems used in connection with an election for the 
        office of President, Vice President, or a member of Congress.
    ``(c) For purposes of subsection (a), the Secretary is authorized 
to cooperate with other departments and agencies of the Federal 
Government, industry organizations, State and local governments, and 
private organizations.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 such sums as 
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

SEC. 3. STUDY OF VOTING ISSUES.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall conduct a study of--
            (1) the impact of income of a voter on effective 
        participation in the election process;
            (2) the impact of minority status of a voter based on race, 
        gender, or ethnicity on effective participation in the election 
        process;
            (3) the effect of the use of differing voting apparatus and 
        of substandard or malfunctioning voting machinery on effective 
        participation in, and the integrity of, the election process; 
        and
            (4) any future and emerging technologies for use in 
        elections, such as Internet voting.
    (b) Study of Income.--The study conducted under subsection (a)(1) 
shall include the study of the impact of various factors on 
participation in elections by low-income voters, including voter 
registration requirements, educational status, type of voting apparatus 
available, voting outreach efforts, and any other factors the Director 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology deems relevant.
    (c) Coordination.--In conducting studies under this section, the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall 
cooperate and coordinate with appropriate Federal, State, and local 
officials, including election officials and other interested groups and 
individuals.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology shall report the results of the study conducted under this 
section to Congress.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the studies and 
report under this section.

SEC. 4. VOTING IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Matching Grant To Improve Voting Methods.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary of Commerce (referred to in 
        this section as the ``Secretary'') is authorized to make 
        matching grants to the State agency responsible for 
        administering elections in a State or the appropriate local 
        agency responsible for administering elections in a unit of 
        local government for the purpose of purchasing new or 
        rehabilitated voting equipment that improves the ability of the 
        public to cast a timely and accurate vote.
            (2) Voting equipment.--Voting equipment purchased with the 
        proceeds of a grant under paragraph (1) shall meet the voting 
        systems performance standards developed by the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology under section 32 of the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (as added by 
        section 2(b)).
            (3) Application.--The Secretary shall publish a notice in 
        the Federal Register to notify State and local agencies 
        regarding the time and manner in which such State or local 
        agency may apply and to prescribe criteria for approval of a 
        State or local agency application.
            (4) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall give priority to applications which propose 
        to use the funds to place voting equipment in election 
        precincts that are most in need of updating and improvement of 
        their voting system in order to meet voting system performance 
        standards described in paragraph (2), particularly in areas 
        experiencing the greatest need based on unemployment level, 
        income levels, financial need, or other indicators of economic 
        distress.
            (5) Matching requirement.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary may not make a grant 
                to a State or local agency under this subsection unless 
                that agency agrees that, with respect to the costs to 
                be incurred by the agency in carrying out the purpose 
                for which the grant was awarded, the agency will make 
                available non-Federal contributions in an amount equal 
                to 50 percent of the Federal funds provided under the 
                grant.
                    (B) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the 
                requirement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary 
                determines a State or local agency displays extreme 
                need.
            (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
        the purposes of this subsection, including grant funds and 
        administration costs.
    (b) Block Grant for Voter Education Campaigns.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants 
        to the State agency responsible for administering elections in 
        a State for the purpose of implementing voter education 
        campaigns.
            (2) Implementation.--Each State agency receiving funds 
        under paragraph (1) shall make such funds available to the 
        appropriate State and local election officials to carry out 
        voter education campaigns.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to make grants 
        under this subsection.