278 
coordination with the ranking minority member of 
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate. 
(12) One Member of the Senate, who shall be 
appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, in 
coordination with the ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
Senate. 
(c) DEADLINE
FOR APPOINTMENT.—All appoint-
ments to the Task Force shall be made not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(d) CHAIR.—The Speaker shall designate one Mem-
ber to serve as chair of the Task Force. 
(e) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Task Force 
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appoint-
ment. 
(f) STATUS UPDATE.—Between September 1, 2021, 
and September 30, 2021, the Task Force shall provide a 
status update to the House of Representatives and the 
Senate that includes— 
(1) information the Task Force has collected; 
and 
(2) a discussion on matters that the chairman 
of the Task Force deems urgent for consideration by 
Congress. 
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(g) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 2021, 
the Task Force shall issue a report of its findings to the 
House of Representatives and the Senate regarding— 
(1) the economic and societal consequences 
(through statistical data and other metrics) that 
come with political disenfranchisement of United 
States citizens in territories of the United States; 
(2) impediments to full and equal voting rights 
for United States citizens who are residents of terri-
tories of the United States in Federal elections, in-
cluding the election of the President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States; 
(3) impediments to full and equal voting rep-
resentation in the House of Representatives for 
United States citizens who are residents of terri-
tories of the United States; 
(4) recommended changes that, if adopted, 
would allow for full and equal voting rights for 
United States citizens who are residents of terri-
tories of the United States in Federal elections, in-
cluding the election of the President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States; 
(5) recommended changes that, if adopted, 
would allow for full and equal voting representation 
in the House of Representatives for United States 
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citizens who are residents of territories of the United 
States; and 
(6) additional information the Task Force 
deems appropriate. 
(h) CONSENSUS VIEWS.—To the greatest extent 
practicable, the report issued under subsection (g) shall 
reflect the shared views of all 12 Members, except that 
the report may contain dissenting views. 
(i) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Task Force may, 
for the purpose of carrying out this section, hold hearings, 
sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and re-
ceive evidence as the Task Force considers appropriate. 
(j) STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION.—In carrying out 
its duties, the Task Force shall consult with the govern-
ments of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. 
(k) RESOURCES.—The Task Force shall carry out its 
duties by utilizing existing facilities, services, and staff of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate. 
(l) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 
upon issuing the report required under subsection (g). 
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Subtitle E—Redistricting Reform 
SEC. 2400. SHORT TITLE; FINDING OF CONSTITUTIONAL AU-
THORITY. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This subtitle may be cited as the 
‘‘Redistricting Reform Act of 2021’’. 
(b) FINDING
OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.— 
Congress finds that it has the authority to establish the 
terms and conditions States must follow in carrying out 
congressional redistricting after an apportionment of 
Members of the House of Representatives because— 
(1) the authority granted to Congress under ar-
ticle I, section 4 of the Constitution of the United 
States gives Congress the power to enact laws gov-
erning the time, place, and manner of elections for 
Members of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the authority granted to Congress under 
section 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to 
enforce section 2 of such amendment, which requires 
Representatives to be apportioned among the several 
States according to their number. 
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PART 1—REQUIREMENTS FOR CONGRESSIONAL 
REDISTRICTING 
SEC. 2401. REQUIRING CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING 
TO BE CONDUCTED THROUGH PLAN OF INDE-
PENDENT STATE COMMISSION. 
(a) USE OF PLAN REQUIRED.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, and except as provided in sub-
section (c) and subsection (d), any congressional redis-
tricting conducted by a State shall be conducted in accord-
ance with— 
(1) the redistricting plan developed and enacted 
into law by the independent redistricting commission 
established in the State, in accordance with part 2; 
or 
(2) if a plan developed by such commission is 
not enacted into law, the redistricting plan developed 
and enacted into law by a 3-judge court, in accord-
ance with section 2421. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 22(c) of 
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and 
subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an ap-
portionment of Representatives in Congress’’, approved 
June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(c)), is amended by striking 
‘‘in the manner provided by the law thereof’’ and insert-
ing: ‘‘in the manner provided by the Redistricting Reform 
Act of 2021’’. 
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(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR EXISTING COMMISSIONS.— 
Subsection (a) does not apply to any State in which, under 
law in effect continuously on and after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, congressional redistricting is car-
ried out in accordance with a plan developed and approved 
by an independent redistricting commission which is in 
compliance with each of the following requirements: 
(1) PUBLICLY AVAILABLE APPLICATION PROC-
ESS.—Membership on the commission is open to citi-
zens of the State through a publicly available appli-
cation process. 
(2) DISQUALIFICATIONS
FOR
GOVERNMENT 
SERVICE
AND
POLITICAL
APPOINTMENT.—Individ-
uals who, for a covered period of time as established 
by the State, hold or have held public office, individ-
uals who are or have been candidates for elected 
public office, and individuals who serve or have 
served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of 
a campaign committee of a candidate for public of-
fice are disqualified from serving on the commission. 
(3) SCREENING
FOR
CONFLICTS.—Individuals 
who apply to serve on the commission are screened 
through a process that excludes persons with con-
flicts of interest from the pool of potential commis-
sioners. 
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(4) MULTI-PARTISAN COMPOSITION.—Member-
ship on the commission represents those who are af-
filiated with the two political parties whose can-
didates received the most votes in the most recent 
statewide election for Federal office held in the 
State, as well as those who are unaffiliated with any 
party or who are affiliated with political parties 
other than the two political parties whose candidates 
received the most votes in the most recent statewide 
election for Federal office held in the State. 
(5) CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING.—Members 
of the commission are required to meet certain cri-
teria in the map drawing process, including mini-
mizing the division of communities of interest and a 
ban on drawing maps to favor a political party. 
(6) PUBLIC INPUT.—Public hearings are held 
and comments from the public are accepted before 
a final map is approved. 
(7) BROAD-BASED SUPPORT FOR APPROVAL OF 
FINAL PLAN.—The approval of the final redistricting 
plan requires a majority vote of the members of the 
commission, including the support of at least one 
member of each of the following: 
(A) Members who are affiliated with the 
political party whose candidate received the 
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most votes in the most recent statewide election 
for Federal office held in the State. 
(B) Members who are affiliated with the 
political party whose candidate received the sec-
ond most votes in the most recent statewide 
election for Federal office held in the State. 
(C) Members who not affiliated with any 
political party or who are affiliated with polit-
ical parties other than the political parties de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
(d) TREATMENT OF STATE OF IOWA.—Subsection (a) 
does not apply to the State of Iowa, so long as congres-
sional redistricting in such State is carried out in accord-
ance with a plan developed by the Iowa Legislative Serv-
ices Agency with the assistance of a Temporary Redis-
tricting Advisory Commission, under law which was in ef-
fect for the most recent congressional redistricting carried 
out in the State prior to the date of the enactment of this 
Act and which remains in effect continuously on and after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 2402. BAN ON MID-DECADE REDISTRICTING. 
A State that has been redistricted in accordance with 
this subtitle and a State described in section 2401(c) or 
section 2401(d) may not be redistricted again until after 
the next apportionment of Representatives under section 
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22(a) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fif-
teenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide 
for an apportionment of Representatives in Congress’’, ap-
proved June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a), unless a court re-
quires the State to conduct such subsequent redistricting 
to comply with the Constitution of the United States, the 
Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), the 
Constitution of the State, or the terms or conditions of 
this subtitle. 
PART 2—INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING 
COMMISSIONS 
SEC. 2411. INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION. 
(a) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The nonpartisan agency es-
tablished or designated by a State under section 
2414(a) shall establish an independent redistricting 
commission for the State, which shall consist of 15 
members appointed by the agency as follows: 
(A) Not later than October 1 of a year 
ending in the numeral zero, the agency shall, at 
a public meeting held not earlier than 15 days 
after notice of the meeting has been given to 
the public, first appoint 6 members as follows: 
(i) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the majority 
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category of the approved selection pool (as 
described in section 2412(b)(1)(A)). 
(ii) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the minority 
category of the approved selection pool (as 
described in section 2412(b)(1)(B)). 
(iii) The agency shall appoint 2 mem-
bers on a random basis from the inde-
pendent category of the approved selection 
pool 
(as 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(C)). 
(B) Not later than November 15 of a year 
ending in the numeral zero, the members ap-
pointed by the agency under subparagraph (A) 
shall, at a public meeting held not earlier than 
15 days after notice of the meeting has been 
given to the public, then appoint 9 members as 
follows: 
(i) The members shall appoint 3 mem-
bers from the majority category of the ap-
proved selection pool (as described in sec-
tion 2412(b)(1)(A)). 
(ii) The members shall appoint 3 
members from the minority category of the 
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approved selection pool (as described in 
section 2412(b)(1)(B)). 
(iii) The members shall appoint 3 
members from the independent category of 
the approved selection pool (as described in 
section 2412(b)(1)(C)). 
(2) RULES
FOR
APPOINTMENT
OF
MEMBERS 
APPOINTED BY FIRST MEMBERS.— 
(A) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF AT LEAST 4 
MEMBERS.—The appointment of any of the 9 
members of the independent redistricting com-
mission who are appointed by the first members 
of the commission pursuant to subparagraph 
(B) of paragraph (1), as well as the designation 
of alternates for such members pursuant to 
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) and the ap-
pointment of alternates to fill vacancies pursu-
ant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4), shall 
require the affirmative vote of at least 4 of the 
members appointed by the nonpartisan agency 
under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), in-
cluding at least one member from each of the 
categories referred to in such subparagraph. 
(B) ENSURING DIVERSITY.—In appointing 
the 9 members pursuant to subparagraph (B) 
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of paragraph (1), as well as in designating al-
ternates pursuant to subparagraph (B) of para-
graph (3) and in appointing alternates to fill 
vacancies pursuant to subparagraph (B) of 
paragraph (4), the first members of the inde-
pendent redistricting commission shall ensure 
that the membership is representative of the de-
mographic groups (including racial, ethnic, eco-
nomic, and gender) and geographic regions of 
the State, and provides racial, ethnic, and lan-
guage minorities protected under the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 with a meaningful oppor-
tunity to participate in the development of the 
State’s redistricting plan. 
(3) DESIGNATION OF ALTERNATES TO SERVE 
IN CASE OF VACANCIES.— 
(A) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY AGENCY.— 
At the time the agency appoints the members 
of the independent redistricting commission 
under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) from 
each of the categories referred to in such sub-
paragraph, the agency shall, on a random basis, 
designate 2 other individuals from such cat-
egory to serve as alternate members who may 
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be appointed to fill vacancies in the commission 
in accordance with paragraph (4). 
(B) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY FIRST MEM-
BERS.—At the time the members appointed by 
the agency appoint the other members of the 
independent redistricting commission under 
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) from each 
of the categories referred to in such subpara-
graph, the members shall, in accordance with 
the special rules described in paragraph (2), 
designate 2 other individuals from such cat-
egory to serve as alternate members who may 
be appointed to fill vacancies in the commission 
in accordance with paragraph (4). 
(4) APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES TO SERVE 
IN CASE OF VACANCIES.— 
(A) MEMBERS APPOINTED BY AGENCY.—If 
a vacancy occurs in the commission with respect 
to a member who was appointed by the non-
partisan agency under subparagraph (A) of 
paragraph (1) from one of the categories re-
ferred to in such subparagraph, the agency 
shall fill the vacancy by appointing, on a ran-
dom basis, one of the 2 alternates from such 
category who was designated under subpara-
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(5) REMOVAL.—A member of the independent 
redistricting commission may be removed by a ma-
jority vote of the remaining members of the commis-
sion if it is shown by a preponderance of the evi-
dence that the member is not eligible to serve on the 
commission under section 2412(a). 
(b) PROCEDURES
FOR CONDUCTING COMMISSION 
BUSINESS.— 
(1) CHAIR.—Members of an independent redis-
tricting commission established under this section 
shall select by majority vote one member who was 
appointed from the independent category of the ap-
proved 
selection 
pool 
described 
in 
section 
2412(b)(1)(C) to serve as chair of the commission. 
The commission may not take any action to develop 
a redistricting plan for the State under section 2413 
until the appointment of the commission’s chair. 
(2) REQUIRING MAJORITY APPROVAL FOR AC-
TIONS.—The independent redistricting commission 
of a State may not publish and disseminate any 
draft or final redistricting plan, or take any other 
action, without the approval of at least— 
(A) a majority of the whole membership of 
the commission; and 
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(B) at least one member of the commission 
appointed from each of the categories of the ap-
proved selection pool described in section 
2412(b)(1). 
(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 
the commission shall constitute a quorum. 
(c) STAFF; CONTRACTORS.— 
(1) STAFF.—Under a public application process 
in which all application materials are available for 
public inspection, the independent redistricting com-
mission of a State shall appoint and set the pay of 
technical experts, legal counsel, consultants, and 
such other staff as it considers appropriate, subject 
to State law. 
(2) CONTRACTORS.—The independent redis-
tricting commission of a State may enter into such 
contracts with vendors as it considers appropriate, 
subject to State law, except that any such contract 
shall be valid only if approved by the vote of a ma-
jority of the members of the commission, including 
at least one member appointed from each of the cat-
egories of the approved selection pool described in 
section 2412(b)(1). 
(3) REPORTS ON EXPENDITURES FOR POLIT-
ICAL ACTIVITY.— 
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(A) REPORT BY APPLICANTS.—Each indi-
vidual who applies for a position as an employee 
of the independent redistricting commission and 
each vendor who applies for a contract with the 
commission shall, at the time of applying, file 
with the commission a report summarizing— 
(i) any expenditure for political activ-
ity made by such individual or vendor dur-
ing the 10 most recent calendar years; and 
(ii) any income received by such indi-
vidual or vendor during the 10 most recent 
calendar years which is attributable to an 
expenditure for political activity. 
(B) ANNUAL
REPORTS
BY
EMPLOYEES 
AND VENDORS.—Each person who is an em-
ployee or vendor of the independent redis-
tricting commission shall, not later than one 
year after the person is appointed as an em-
ployee or enters into a contract as a vendor (as 
the case may be) and annually thereafter for 
each year during which the person serves as an 
employee or a vendor, file with the commission 
a report summarizing the expenditures and in-
come described in subparagraph (A) during the 
10 most recent calendar years. 
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(C) EXPENDITURE FOR POLITICAL ACTIV-
ITY
DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the term 
‘‘expenditure for political activity’’ means a dis-
bursement for any of the following: 
(i) An independent expenditure, as de-
fined in section 301(17) of the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30101(17)). 
(ii) An electioneering communication, 
as defined in section 304(f)(3) of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 30104(f)(3)) or any other pub-
lic communication, as defined in section 
301(22) 
of 
such 
Act 
(52 
U.S.C. 
30101(22)) that would be an electioneering 
communication if it were a broadcast, 
cable, or satellite communication. 
(iii) Any dues or other payments to 
trade associations or organizations de-
scribed in section 501(c) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 
tax under section 501(a) of such Code that 
are, or could reasonably be anticipated to 
be, used or transferred to another associa-
tion or organization for a use described in 
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paragraph (1), (2), or (4) of section 501(c) 
of such Code. 
(4) GOAL OF IMPARTIALITY.—The commission 
shall take such steps as it considers appropriate to 
ensure that any staff appointed under this sub-
section, and any vendor with whom the commission 
enters into a contract under this subsection, will 
work in an impartial manner, and may require any 
person who applies for an appointment to a staff po-
sition or for a vendor’s contract with the commission 
to provide information on the person’s history of po-
litical activity beyond the information on the per-
son’s expenditures for political activity provided in 
the reports required under paragraph (3) (including 
donations to candidates, political committees, and 
political parties) as a condition of the appointment 
or the contract. 
(5) DISQUALIFICATION; WAIVER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The independent redis-
tricting commission may not appoint an indi-
vidual as an employee, and may not enter into 
a contract with a vendor, if the individual or 
vendor meets any of the criteria for the dis-
qualification of an individual from serving as a 
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member of the commission which are set forth 
in section 2412(a)(2). 
(B) WAIVER.—The commission may by 
unanimous vote of its members waive the appli-
cation of subparagraph (A) to an individual or 
a vendor after receiving and reviewing the re-
port filed by the individual or vendor under 
paragraph (3). 
(d) TERMINATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The independent redis-
tricting commission of a State shall terminate on the 
earlier of— 
(A) June 14 of the next year ending in the 
numeral zero; or 
(B) the day on which the nonpartisan 
agency established or designated by a State 
under section 2414(a) has, in accordance with 
section 2412(b)(1), submitted a selection pool 
to the Select Committee on Redistricting for the 
State established under section 2414(b). 
(2) PRESERVATION
OF
RECORDS.—The State 
shall ensure that the records of the independent re-
districting commission are retained in the appro-
priate State archive in such manner as may be nec-
essary to enable the State to respond to any civil ac-
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