A bill to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to treat United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-s-3712
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced: 2024-01-31
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2024-01-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S311)

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3712 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 31, 2024 Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Merkley , Ms. Butler , Mr. Welch , Mr. Whitehouse , Ms. Warren , Mr. Bennet , Ms. Cortez Masto , Ms. Hirono , Mr. Sanders , Mr. Cardin , Mr. Schatz , Ms. Duckworth , Mr. Durbin , Mr. Luján , Mr. Kaine , and Mr. Booker ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to treat United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes.

1. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is responsible for overseeing the naturalization of new citizens through— (A) administering naturalization ceremonies; and (B) processing the naturalization of new citizens naturalized through judicial ceremonies or other means. (2) In performing the responsibilities described in paragraph (1), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has the ability to facilitate efficient voter registration application for all new citizens. (3) Courts that have the privilege of administering the oath of allegiance to naturalize new citizens also have a responsibility to assist in facilitating voter registration. 2. Treatment of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices as voter registration agencies (a) In general Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ( 52 U.S.C. 20506 ) is amended by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e) and by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection: (d) Voter registration activities of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (1) Field offices (A) In general A field office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall be considered to be a voter registration agency designated under subsection (a)(2) for all purposes of this Act. (B) Procedures Each State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly develop and implement procedures for persons who have completed naturalization to apply to register to vote through field offices of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (2) Court naturalization ceremonies The Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall conduct activities described in subsection (a)(4)(A) at any oath administration proceeding conducted by an eligible court (as defined in section 310(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1421(b) )). . (b) Funding (1) Use of Immigration Examinations Fee Account Section 286(n) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1356(n) ) is amended by striking and naturalization services and inserting , naturalization services, and voter registration services pursuant to section 7(d) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ( 52 U.S.C. 20506(d) ) . (2) Use of grant program funds Section 404 of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 ( 8 U.S.C. 1382 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e) Any amounts which— (1) are in the Citizenship Gift and Bequest Account established under subsection (c); or (2) are appropriated for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, may be used to pay for expenses for voter registration services provided pursuant to section 7(d) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ( 52 U.S.C. 20506(d) ). . (3) Authorization of additional appropriations In addition to any other amounts, there are authorized to be appropriated to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services such sums as necessary to carry out activities required by the amendments made by subsection (a). 3. Authorization of voter registration activities at court naturalization ceremonies Any eligible court described in paragraph (5) of section 310(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1421(b) ) that administers the oath of allegiance under that section— (1) shall permit the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct authorized activities described in section 7(a)(4)(A) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ( 52 U.S.C. 20506(a)(4)(A) ) at any oath administration proceeding conducted by such eligible court; and (2) shall not seek reimbursement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or any other person for costs incurred under this paragraph.