II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3308 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 22, 2008 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. KERRY, Mr. REID, Mr. OBAMA, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. LEAHY, Mrs. CLINTON, Mrs. MURRAY, and Mr. WYDEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Voting Sup5 port Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Veterans serving in foreign wars have per2 formed a great service to, and risked the greatest 

3 sacrifice in the name of, our country, and should be 

4 supported by the people and the Government of the 

5 United States. 

6 (2) Veterans are especially qualified to under7 stand issues of war, foreign policy, and government 

8 support for veterans, and they should have the op9 portunity to voice that understanding through vot10 ing. 

11 (3) The Department of Veterans Affairs should 

12 assist veterans in meeting their medical, social, and 

13 civic needs, including the full participation of vet14 erans in our democracy. 

15 (4) The Department of Veterans Affairs should 

16 make every effort to assist veterans to register to 

17 vote and to vote. 

18 SEC. 3. USE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FA19 CILITIES AS VOTER REGISTRATION AGEN20 CIES. 

21 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit a 

22 State to designate facilities of the Department of Veterans 

23 Affairs located in such State as voter registration agencies 

24 under section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 

25 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–5). 


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1 SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS. 

2 In addition to the duties required under section 7 of 

3 the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 

4 1973gg–5), any facility of the Department of Veterans Af5 fairs designated as a voter registration agency under sec6 tion 3 shall— 

7 (1) provide information relating to the oppor8 tunity to request an absentee ballot; 

9 (2) make available absentee ballot applications 

10 and absentee ballots upon request, as well as assist11 ance in completing such applications and ballots; 

12 and 

13 (3) work with local election officials to ensure 

14 the proper delivery of absentee ballot applications 

15 and absentee ballots. 

16 SEC. 5. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NONPARTISAN ORGA17 NIZATIONS. 

18 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit a 

19 meaningful opportunity for nonpartisan organizations to 

20 provide voter registration information and assistance at 

21 facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

22 SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY ELECTION OFFICIALS 

23 AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FA24 CILITIES. 

25 (a) DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

2 Affairs shall not prohibit any election administration 

3 official, whether State or local, party-affiliated or 

4 non-party affiliated, or elected or appointed, from 

5 providing voting information to veterans at any facil6 ity of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

7 (2) VOTING INFORMATION.—In this subsection, 

8 the term ‘‘voting information’’ means nonpartisan 

9 information intended for the public about voting, in10 cluding information about voter registration, voting 

11 systems, absentee balloting, polling locations, and 

12 other important resources for voters. 

13 (b) VOTER REGISTRATION SERVICES.—The Sec14 retary shall provide reasonable access to facilities of the 

15 Department of Veterans Affairs to State and local election 

16 officials for the purpose of providing nonpartisan voter 

17 registration services to individuals. 

18 SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT ON COMPLIANCE. 

19 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to 

20 Congress an annual report on how the Secretary has com21 plied with the requirements of this Act. 

Æ 


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