To reduce Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions and by terminating the Election Assistance Commission.

Bill: 112-hr-3463
Sponsor: Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]
Introduced: 2011-11-17 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt
Computers and information technology
Congressional elections
Election Assistance Commission
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2011-11-17
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate as of December 31, 2010, taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns. Abolishes the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer all amounts remaining in the Fund after enactment of this Act to the general fund of the Treasury to reduce the deficit.
 
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to terminate the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the EAC Standards Board, and the EAC Board of Advisors 61 days after enactment of this Act. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to perform EAC functions with respect to certain existing contracts and agreements during the transition period for winding up EAC affairs.
 
Transfers specified election administration functions of the EAC to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
 
Replaces the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors with a Guidelines Review Board to review voluntary voting system guidelines proposed by the Technical Guidelines Development Committee.
 
Sets forth special requirements relating to the transfer of certain EAC authorities to the FEC with respect to development of such guidelines.
 
Transfers to the FEC the EAC Office of Voting System Testing and Certification.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) study the procedures used to adopt and modify the voluntary voting system guidelines applicable to the administration of elections for federal office, and (2) develop recommendations on methods to improve such procedures.
 
Requires the FEC to: (1) study the procedures for the testing, certification, decertification, and recertification of voting system hardware and software used in federal elections; and (2) develop a recommendation on the entity best suited to oversee and carry out such procedures.
 
Requires the recommendations in both studies to take into account the needs of persons affected by such guidelines, including state and local election officials, voters with disabilities, absent military and overseas voters, and the manufacturers of voting systems.

action_date: 2011-12-01
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate as of December 31, 2010, taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns. Abolishes the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer all amounts remaining in the Fund after enactment of this Act to the general fund of the Treasury to reduce the deficit.
 
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to terminate the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the EAC Standards Board, and the EAC Board of Advisors 61 days after enactment of this Act. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to perform EAC functions with respect to certain existing contracts and agreements during the transition period for winding up EAC affairs.
 
Transfers specified election administration functions of the EAC to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
 
Replaces the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors with a Guidelines Review Board to review voluntary voting system guidelines proposed by the Technical Guidelines Development Committee.
 
Sets forth special requirements relating to the transfer of certain EAC authorities to the FEC with respect to development of such guidelines.
 
Transfers to the FEC the EAC Office of Voting System Testing and Certification.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) study the procedures used to adopt and modify the voluntary voting system guidelines applicable to the administration of elections for federal office, and (2) develop recommendations on methods to improve such procedures.
 
Requires the FEC to: (1) study the procedures for the testing, certification, decertification, and recertification of voting system hardware and software used in federal elections; and (2) develop a recommendation on the entity best suited to oversee and carry out such procedures.
 
Requires the recommendations in both studies to take into account the needs of persons affected by such guidelines, including state and local election officials, voters with disabilities, absent military and overseas voters, and the manufacturers of voting systems.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-12-05
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 235 - 190 (Roll no. 873). (text: CR H8016-8019)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 235 - 190 (Roll no. 873).(text: CR H8016-8019)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 190 - 236 (Roll no. 872). (consideration: CR H8034)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H8033)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Bishop(GA) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to insert provisions designed to continue protection of elderly, disabled and military voters, notwithstanding the termination of the Election Assistance Commission.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Mr. Bishop (GA) moved to recommit with instructions to House Administration. (consideration: CR H8032-8034; text: CR H8032)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8032-8034)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of Rule 19, further proceedings on H.R. 3463 were postponed
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H8032)
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3463.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Measure provides for consideration of H.R. 3463 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; bill is closed to amendments. Provides for consideration of H.R. 527 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; specified amendments are in order. Provides for consideration of H.R. 3010 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; specified amendments are in order.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 477. (consideration: CR H8016-8032)
action_date: 2011-11-29
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 477 Reported to House. Measure provides for consideration of H.R. 3463 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; bill is closed to amendments. Provides for consideration of H.R. 527 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; specified amendments are in order. Provides for consideration of H.R. 3010 with one hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled; specified amendments are in order.
action_date: 2011-11-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-11-17
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-11-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-11-17
text: Introduced in House