VOTE Act

Bill: 119-hr-2054
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham [R-AZ-8]
Introduced: 2025-03-11
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Voting Only Through English Act or the VOTE Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires states to use English-only ballots to qualify for certain federal election funds. It also repeals a prohibition on English-only federal elections and eliminates language assistance provisions under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). (The VRA requires&nbsp;some jurisdictions to provide materials such as ballots and registration information in English and in other covered languages for voters whose English proficiency is limited. The bill removes these requirements.)</p><p>Specifically, the bill&nbsp;prohibits a state from receiving federal election administration funds if the state provides ballots for a federal election that include text in any language other than English.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2054 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Gill of Texas , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Jackson of Texas , Mr. Baumgartner , Mrs. Spartz , and Mr. Harrigan ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on House Administration , 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 A BILL To provide that States that provide for an election for Federal office that include text in any language other than English are ineligible to receive certain Federal funds, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This act may be cited as the Voting Only Through English Act or the VOTE Act . 2. Limitation on funding Notwithstanding the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ( 52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq. ) or any other provision of law, a State shall be ineligible to receive Federal funds provided for purposes of the administration of elections for Federal office for any fiscal year during which the State provides ballots for an election for Federal office that include text in any language other than English. 3. Elimination of prohibition of English-only elections Section 4(f) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ( 52 U.S.C. 10303(f) ) is amended— (1) by striking paragraphs (1), (3), and (4); and (2) by striking (2) No and inserting No .