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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prepare, Ready, Equip, and Prevent 
Areas at Risk of Emergency Wildfires Act of 2015'' or the ``PREPARE Act 
of 2015''.

SEC. 2. WILDFIRE MITIGATION.

    Title II of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 203 the following:

``SEC. 203A. WILDFIRE MITIGATION.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `Administrator' means the Administrator of 
        the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
            ``(2) the term `community wildfire protection plan' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101 of the Healthy Forests 
        Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511);
            ``(3) the term `eligible recipient' means a State or an 
        Indian tribal government;
            ``(4) the term `local multi-hazard mitigation plan' means a 
        mitigation plan developed by a local government under section 
        322(b) that addresses wildfire mitigation;
            ``(5) the term `State mitigation plan' means a mitigation 
        plan developed by a State under section 322(c) that addresses 
        wildfire mitigation; and
            ``(6) the term `tribal mitigation plan' means a mitigation 
        plan developed by a tribal government under section 322(b) that 
        addresses wildfire mitigation.
    ``(b) Establishment of Wildfire Mitigation Grant Program.--The 
President, acting through the Administrator, shall establish a pilot 
program to make grants to eligible recipients for wildfire mitigation.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--A grant under this section may be used by an 
eligible recipient--
            ``(1) to reduce the hazardous fuel load by reducing the use 
        of fuels that may contribute to catastrophic wildfires in high-
        risk areas;
            ``(2) to invest in personnel and organizations to conduct 
        wildfire mitigation;
            ``(3) to invest in vehicles and other equipment to conduct 
        wildfire mitigation;
            ``(4) to mitigate against damage from runoff into waterways 
        and floods caused by erosion from wildfires;
            ``(5) to build essential community collaboration and 
        outline the necessary groundwork systems in anticipation of 
        future fires; and
            ``(6) at the discretion of the Governor of a State or the 
        Chief Executive of an Indian tribal government, and in 
        consultation with the Administrator, for any other wildfire 
        mitigation activities in the State or area under the 
        jurisdiction of the Indian tribal government, as applicable, 
        unless otherwise prohibited by law.
    ``(d) Eligibility for Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Eligibility.--An eligible recipient shall be 
                eligible for assistance under this section if the 
                section 420 grant ratio for the eligible recipient is 
                equal to or greater than 125 percent of the population 
                ratio of the eligible recipient.
                    ``(B) Ratios.--For purposes of subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) the section 420 grant ratio shall be 
                        equal to the quotient of--
                                    ``(I) the number of declarations 
                                for a grant under section 420 received 
                                by the eligible recipient during the 10 
                                years prior to the date on which an 
                                application for assistance is submitted 
                                under this section, divided by
                                    ``(II) the total number of 
                                declarations for a grant under section 
                                420 in the United States during the 10 
                                years prior to the date on which an 
                                application for assistance is submitted 
                                under this section; and
                            ``(ii) the population ratio of the eligible 
                        recipient shall be equal to the quotient of--
                                    ``(I) the population of the State 
                                or the area under the jurisdiction of 
                                the Indian tribal government, as 
                                applicable, based on the most recent 
                                data available from the Bureau of the 
                                Census on the date on which an 
                                application for assistance is submitted 
                                under this section, divided by
                                    ``(II) the population of the United 
                                States, based on the most recent data 
                                available from the Bureau of the Census 
                                on the date on which an application for 
                                assistance is submitted under this 
                                section.
            ``(2) Waiver.--The President may waive the requirement of 
        paragraph (1) if an eligible recipient--
                    ``(A) files a petition for waiver of the 
                requirement of paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) demonstrates that significant environmental 
                changes or shifts in forest health put the eligible 
                recipient at an elevated risk for catastrophic 
                wildfires, as determined by the President.
            ``(3) Local assistance.--The Governor of a State may award 
        funds received under this section, to be used solely for the 
        purposes set forth under subsection (c), to--
                    ``(A) any county or municipality in that State with 
                a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-
                hazard mitigation plan;
                    ``(B) any Indian tribal government in that State 
                with a tribal mitigation plan; or
                    ``(C) any other entity that is explicitly 
                referenced in and central to, in the determination of 
                the Governor, the design of a community wildfire 
                protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation 
                plan.
    ``(e) Criteria for Assistance.--In determining whether to award a 
grant to an eligible recipient under this section, the President 
shall--
            ``(1) give preference to--
                    ``(A) an eligible recipient with a high level of 
                need for assistance based on the best scientific data 
                available;
                    ``(B) an eligible recipient that previously 
                received a grant under this section and effectively 
                used the Federal funds for wildfire mitigation 
                activities in the State or area under the jurisdiction 
                of the Indian tribal government, as applicable, as 
                determined by the President; and
            ``(2) consider environmental conditions in a State or an 
        area under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribal government, as 
        applicable, including environmental changes, deteriorating 
        forest health, and overall wildfire risk.
    ``(f) Application for Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--To request a grant under this section, 
        an eligible recipient shall submit an application to the 
        Administrator in such form, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Administrator may reasonably require.
            ``(2) Contents.--In addition to any other requirements that 
        may be specified by the Administrator, an eligible recipient 
        submitting an application for a grant under this section shall 
        demonstrate that--
                    ``(A) in the case of an eligible recipient that is 
                a State--
                            ``(i) the State has a State mitigation 
                        plan;
                            ``(ii) the State shall provide matching 
                        non-Federal funds equal to not less than 25 
                        percent of the amount of Federal funds made 
                        available under this subsection;
                            ``(iii) a county or municipality that may 
                        receive funds from the grant has a community 
                        wildfire protection plan or a local multi-
                        hazard mitigation plan; and
                            ``(iv) an Indian tribal government that may 
                        receive funds from the grant has a tribal 
                        mitigation plan; and
                    ``(B) in the case of an eligible recipient that is 
                an Indian tribal government--
                            ``(i) the Indian tribal government has a 
                        tribal mitigation plan; and
                            ``(ii) the Indian tribal government shall--
                                    ``(I) provide matching non-Federal 
                                funds equal to not less than 25 percent 
                                of the amount of Federal funds made 
                                available under this subsection; or
                                    ``(II) if the Indian tribal 
                                government is a small impoverished 
                                community, as defined in section 
                                203(a), provide non-matching Federal 
                                funds equal to not less than 10 percent 
                                of the amount of Federal funds made 
                                available under this subsection.
    ``(g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of receipt of a 
grant under this section, the recipient shall submit to the 
Administrator a report, which shall be made publically available, on 
the use of funds made available under the grant.
    ``(h) Funding for Assistance.--
            ``(1) Predisaster mitigation fund.--Subject to the 
        availability of funds in the National Predisaster Mitigation 
        Fund established under section 203(i), the Administrator shall 
        use not less than $20,000,000 and not more than $30,000,000 
        from unobligated amounts in the National Predisaster Mitigation 
        Fund for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021 in carrying out 
        this section.
            ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
        be construed to increase the amount of appropriations 
        authorized for the Department of Homeland Security in any given 
        fiscal year.''.

SEC. 3. WILDFIRE MITIGATION ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) Hazard Mitigation Assistance.--Whether or not a major 
disaster is declared, the President may provide hazard mitigation 
assistance in accordance with section 404 in any area affected by a 
fire for which assistance was provided under this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 404(a) (42 U.S.C. 5170c(a))--
                    (A) by inserting before the first period ``, or any 
                area in which assistance was provided under section 
                420''; and
                    (B) in the third sentence, by inserting ``or event 
                under section 420'' after ``major disaster'' each place 
                that term appears; and
            (2) in section 322 (e)(1) (42 U.S.C. 5165(e)(1)), by 
        inserting ``or event under section 420'' after ``major 
        disaster'' each place that term appears.

SEC. 4. FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall amend 
subsection (a) of section 206.48 of title 44, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 
consider, in evaluating a Governor's request for major disaster 
assistance under the Public Assistance Program, whether--
            (1) post-fire flooding occurred within 5 years, and as a 
        result, of a single wildfire event in the State; and
            (2) the State received fire management assistance under 
        section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
        Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187) related to the major 
        disaster for which the Governor is requesting assistance under 
        the Public Assistance Program.

SEC. 5. POST-FIRE FUNDING GUIDE.

    (a) Creation and Distribution.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall create and make publically available 
a post-fire recovery funding and resource guide for local communities.
    (b) Involvement by Local Leaders.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall create the guide under subsection (a) 
in collaboration with local leaders who have experienced wildfires in 
their communities and who understand the requirements for the use of 
Federal disaster funds.
    (c) Updates.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall update the guide under subsection (a) as programs and 
resources change.

Answer: Prepare, Ready, Equip, and Prevent Areas at Risk of Emergency Wildfires Act of 2015 or the PREPARE Act of 2015  Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a pilot program to make grants to states or Indian tribal governments for wildfire mitigation. Permits a grant to be used: (1) to reduce the use of fuels that may contribute to catastrophic wildfires in high-risk areas; (2) to invest in personnel, organizations, vehicles, and other equipment to conduct wildfire mitigation; (3) to mitigate against damage from runoff into waterways and floods caused by erosion from wildfires; (4) to build essential community collaboration and outline the necessary groundwork systems in anticipation of future fires; and (5) for other wildlife mitigation activities at the discretion of the governor of a state or the chief executive of an Indian tribal government. Sets forth a grant eligibility requirement based on specified ratios of the relative population of, and the relative number fire management assistance grants received in the previous 10 years by, a prospective recipient. Authorizes the President to waive that requirement if a recipient demonstrates that significant environmental changes or shifts in forest health put the recipient at an elevated risk for catastrophic wildfires. Allows the governor of a state to award grant funds to: (1) any county or municipality with a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan, (2) any Indian tribal government with a tribal mitigation plan, or (3) any other entity that is explicitly referenced in and central to the design of a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan. Directs FEMA, in awarding such grants, to: (1) give preference to a recipient that has a high level of need for assistance based on the best scientific data available or that used previous grant funds efficiently and effectively for wildfire mitigation activities, and (2) consider environmental conditions in a state or area. Directs FEMA to use specified unobligated amounts in the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund for each of FY2016-FY2021 in carrying out this Act. Amends the Stafford Act to authorize the President, whether or not a major disaster is declared, to provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area affected by a fire for which assistance was otherwise provided. Directs FEMA to require FEMA, in evaluating a governor's request for major disaster assistance under the Public Assistance Program, to consider whether: (1) post-fire flooding occurred within five years of, and as a result of, a single wildfire event in the state; and (2) the state received fire management assistance related to the major disaster for which the governor is requesting assistance. Directs FEMA to create and make publicly available a post-fire recovery funding and resource guide for local communities.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Judiciary Ethics Reform Act 
of 2006''.

SEC. 2. JUDICIAL EDUCATION FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 42 of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 630. Judicial Education Fund
    ``(a) In this section, the term--
            ``(1) `institution of higher education' has the meaning 
        given under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
            ``(2) `private judicial seminar'--
                    ``(A) means a seminar, symposia, panel discussion, 
                course, or a similar event that provides continuing 
                legal education to judges; and
                    ``(B) does not include--
                            ``(i) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by, and on the campus of, an 
                        institute of higher education;
                            ``(ii) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations for the benefit 
                        of the bar association membership; or
                            ``(iii) seminars of any length conducted 
                        by, and on the campus of an institute of higher 
                        education or by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations, where a judge 
                        is a presenter and at which judges constitute 
                        less than 25 percent of the participants;
            ``(3) `national bar association' means a national 
        organization that is open to general membership to all members 
        of the bar; and
            ``(4) `State or local bar association' means a State or 
        local organization that is open to general membership to all 
        members of the bar in the specified geographic region.
    ``(b) There is established within the United States Treasury a fund 
to be known as the `Judicial Education Fund' (in this section referred 
to as the `Fund').
    ``(c) Amounts in the Fund may be made available for the payment of 
necessary expenses, including reasonable expenditures for 
transportation, food, lodging, private judicial seminar fees and 
materials, incurred by a judge or justice in attending a private 
judicial seminar approved by the Board of the Federal Judicial Center. 
Necessary expenses shall not include expenditures for recreational 
activities or entertainment other than that provided to all attendees 
as an integral part of the private judicial seminar. Any payment from 
the Fund shall be approved by the Board.
    ``(d) The Board may approve a private judicial seminar after 
submission of information by the sponsor of that private judicial 
seminar that includes--
            ``(1) the content of the private judicial seminar 
        (including a list of presenters, topics, and course materials); 
        and
            ``(2) the litigation activities of the sponsor and the 
        presenters at the private judicial seminar (including the 
        litigation activities of the employer of each presenter) on the 
        topic related to those addressed at the private judicial 
        seminar.
    ``(e) If the Board approves a private judicial seminar, the Board 
shall make the information submitted under subsection (d) relating to 
the private judicial seminar available to judges and the public by 
posting the information on the Internet.
    ``(f) The Judicial Conference shall promulgate guidelines to ensure 
that the Board only approves private judicial seminars that are 
conducted in a manner so as to maintain the public's confidence in an 
unbiased and fair-minded judiciary.
    ``(g) There are authorized to be appropriated for deposit in the 
Fund $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008, to 
remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 42 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``630. Judicial Education Fund.''.

SEC. 3. PRIVATE JUDICIAL SEMINAR GIFTS PROHIBITED.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
            (1) ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
            (2) ``private judicial seminar''--
                    (A) means a seminar, symposia, panel discussion, 
                course, or a similar event that provides continuing 
                legal education to judges; and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by, and on the campus of, an 
                        institute of higher education;
                            (ii) seminars that last 1 day or less and 
                        are conducted by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations for the benefit 
                        of the bar association membership; or
                            (iii) seminars of any length conducted by, 
                        and on the campus of an institute of higher 
                        education or by national bar associations or 
                        State or local bar associations, where a judge 
                        is a presenter and at which judges constitute 
                        less than 25 percent of the participants;
            (3) ``national bar association'' means a national 
        organization that is open to general membership to all members 
        of the bar; and
            (4) ``State or local bar association'' means a State or 
        local organization that is open to general membership to all 
        members of the bar in the specified geographic region.
    (b) In General.--Not later than 240 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Judicial Conference of the United States 
shall promulgate regulations to apply section 7353(a) of title 5, 
United States Code, to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of 
anything of value in connection with a private judicial seminar.
    (c) Exception.--The prohibition under the regulations promulgated 
under subsection (b) shall not apply if--
            (1) the judge participates in a private judicial seminar as 
        a speaker, panel participant, or otherwise presents 
        information;
            (2) Federal judges are not the primary audience at the 
        private judicial seminar; and
            (3) the thing of value accepted is--
                    (A) reimbursement from the private judicial seminar 
                sponsor of reasonable transportation, food, or lodging 
                expenses on any day on which the judge speaks, 
                participates, or presents information, as applicable;
                    (B) attendance at the private judicial seminar on 
                any day on which the judge speaks, participates, or 
                presents information, as applicable; or
                    (C) anything excluded from the definition of a gift 
                under regulations of the Judicial Conference of the 
                United States under sections 7351 and 7353 of title 5, 
                United States Code, as in effect on the date of 
                enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. RECUSAL LISTS.

    Section 455 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(g)(1) Each justice, judge, and magistrate of the United States 
shall maintain a list of all financial interests that would require 
disqualification under subsection (b)(4).
    ``(2) Each list maintained under paragraph (1) shall be made 
available to the public at the office of the clerk for the court at 
which a justice, judge, or magistrate is assigned.''.

Answer: Federal Judiciary Ethics Reform Act of 2006 - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) establish within the Treasury a Judicial Education Fund for the payment of necessary expenses incurred by a judge or justice in attending a private judicial seminar approved by the Board of the Federal Judicial Center; and (2) require each justice, judge, and magistrate of the United States to maintain a list (to be made available to the public) of all financial interests that would require disqualification in any proceeding in which his or her impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Directs the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate regulations to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of anything in value in connection with a private judicial seminar, with specified exceptions.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Vote by Mail Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Supreme Court declared in Reynolds v. Sims that 
        ``[i]t has been repeatedly recognized that all qualified voters 
        have a constitutionally protected right to vote . . . and to 
        have their votes counted.''.
            (2) In the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, voting 
        technology failures and procedural irregularities deprived some 
        Americans of their fundamental right to vote.
            (3) In 2000, faulty punch card ballots and other equipment 
        failures prevented accurate vote counts nationwide. A report by 
        the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project estimates that 
        approximately 1,500,000 votes for president were intended to be 
        cast but not counted in the 2000 election because of equipment 
        failures.
            (4) In 2004, software errors, malfunctioning electronic 
        voting systems, and long lines at the polls prevented accurate 
        vote counts and prevented some people from voting. For 
        instance, voters at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio waited in 
        line for up to 12 hours because there were only 2 machines 
        available for 1,300 voters.
            (5) Under the Oregon Vote by Mail system, election 
        officials mail ballots to all registered voters at least 2 
        weeks before election day. Voters mark their ballots, seal the 
        ballots in both unmarked secrecy envelopes and signed return 
        envelopes, and return the ballots by mail or to secure drop 
        boxes. Once a ballot is received, election officials scan the 
        bar code on the ballot envelope, which brings up the voter's 
        signature on a computer screen. The election official compares 
        the signature on the screen and the signature on the ballot 
        envelope. Only if the signature on the ballot envelope is 
        determined to be authentic is the ballot forwarded on to be 
        counted.
            (6) Oregon's Vote by Mail system has resulted in an 
        extremely low rate of voter fraud because the system includes 
        numerous security measures such as the signature authentication 
        system. Potential misconduct is also deterred by the power of 
        the State to punish those who engage in voter fraud with up to 
        five years in prison, $100,000 in fines, and the loss of their 
        vote.
            (7) Vote by Mail is one factor making voter turnout in 
        Oregon consistently higher than the average national voter 
        turnout. For example, Oregon experienced a record voting-age-
        eligible population turnout of 70.6 percent in the 2004 
        presidential election, compared to 58.4 percent nationally. 
        Oregon's turnout of registered voters for that election was 
        86.48 percent.
            (8) Women, younger voters, and homemakers also report that 
        they vote more often using Vote by Mail.
            (9) Vote by Mail reduces election costs by eliminating the 
        need to transport equipment to polling stations and to hire and 
        train poll workers. Oregon has reduced its election-related 
        costs by 30 percent since implementing Vote by Mail.
            (10) Vote by Mail allows voters to educate themselves 
        because they receive ballots well before election day, which 
        provides them with ample time to research issues, study 
        ballots, and deliberate in a way that is not possible at a 
        polling place.
            (11) Vote by Mail is accurate--at least 2 studies comparing 
        voting technologies show that absentee voting methods, 
        including Vote by Mail systems, result in a more accurate vote 
        count.
            (12) Vote by Mail results in more up-to-date voter rolls, 
        since election officials use forwarding information from the 
        post office to update voter registration.
            (13) Vote by Mail allows voters to visually verify that 
        their votes were cast correctly and produces a paper trail for 
        recounts.
            (14) In a survey taken 5 years after Oregon implemented the 
        Vote by Mail system, more than 8 in 10 Oregon voters said they 
        preferred voting by mail to traditional voting.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Election.--The term ``election'' means any general, 
        special, primary, or runoff election.
            (2) Participating state.--The term ``participating State'' 
        means a State receiving a grant under the Vote by Mail grant 
        program under section 4.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States.
            (4) Voting system.--The term ``voting system'' has the 
        meaning given such term under section 301(b) of the Help 
        America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481(b)).

SEC. 4. VOTE BY MAIL GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Election Assistance Commission shall 
establish a Vote by Mail grant program (in this section referred to as 
the ``program'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to make implementation 
grants to participating States solely for the implementation of 
procedures for the conduct of all elections by mail at the State or 
local government level.
    (c) Limitation on Use of Funds.--In no case may grants made under 
this section be used to reimburse a State for costs incurred in 
implementing mail-in voting for elections at the State or local 
government level if such costs were incurred prior to the date of 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Application.--A State seeking to participate in the program 
under this section shall submit an application to the Election 
Assistance Commission containing such information, and at such time as, 
the Election Assistance Commission may specify.
    (e) Amount and Number of Implementation Grants; Duration of 
Program.--
            (1) Amount of grants.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                amount of an implementation grant made to a 
                participating State shall be, in the case of a State 
                that certifies that it will implement all elections by 
                mail in accordance with the requirements of subsection 
                (f), with respect to--
                            (i) the entire State, $2,000,000; or
                            (ii) any single unit or multiple units of 
                        local government within the State, $1,000,000.
                    (B) Excess funds.--
                            (i) In general.--The Election Assistance 
                        Commission shall establish a process to 
                        distribute excess funds to participating 
                        States. The process shall ensure that such 
                        funds are allocated among participating States 
                        in an equitable manner, based on the number of 
                        registered voters in the area in which the 
                        State certifies that it will implement all of 
                        its elections by mail under subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) Excess funds defined.--For purposes of 
                        clause (i), the term ``excess funds'' means any 
                        amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
                        authorization under subsection (h)(1) with 
                        respect to a fiscal year that are not awarded 
                        to a participating State under an 
                        implementation grant during such fiscal year.
                    (C) Continuing availability of funds after 
                appropriation.--An implementation grant made to a 
                participating State under this section shall be 
                available to the State without fiscal year limitation.
            (2) Number of implementation grants.--
                    (A) In general.--The Election Assistance Commission 
                shall award an implementation grant to up to 18 
                participating States under this section during each 
                year in which the program is conducted.
                    (B) One grant per state.--The Election Assistance 
                Commission shall not award more than 1 implementation 
                grant to any participating State under this section 
                over the duration of the program.
            (3) Duration.--The program shall be conducted for a period 
        of 3 years.
    (f) Requirements.--
            (1) Required procedures.--A participating State shall 
        establish and implement procedures for conducting all elections 
        by mail in the area with respect to which it receives an 
        implementation grant to conduct such elections, including the 
        following:
                    (A) A process for recording electronically each 
                voter's registration information and signature.
                    (B) A process for mailing ballots to all eligible 
                voters.
                    (C) The designation of places for the deposit of 
                ballots cast in an election.
                    (D) A process for ensuring the secrecy and 
                integrity of ballots cast in the election.
                    (E) Procedures and penalties for preventing 
                election fraud and ballot tampering, including 
                procedures for the verification of the signature of the 
                voter accompanying the ballot through comparison of 
                such signature with the signature of the voter 
                maintained by the State in accordance with subparagraph 
                (A).
                    (F) Procedures for verifying that a ballot has been 
                received by the appropriate authority.
                    (G) Procedures for obtaining a replacement ballot 
                in the case of a ballot which is destroyed, spoiled, 
                lost, or not received by the voter.
                    (H) A plan for training election workers in 
                signature verification techniques.
                    (I) Plans and procedures to ensure that voters who 
                are blind, visually-impaired, or otherwise disabled 
                have the opportunity to participate in elections 
                conducted by mail and to ensure compliance with the 
                Help America Vote Act of 2002. Such plans and 
                procedures shall be developed in consultation with 
                disabled and other civil rights organizations, voting 
                rights groups, State election officials, voter 
                protection groups, and other interested community 
                organizations.
    (g) Best Practices, Technical Assistance, and Reports.--The 
Election Assistance Commission shall--
            (1) develop, periodically issue, and, as appropriate, 
        update best practices for conducting elections by mail;
            (2) provide technical assistance to participating States 
        for the purpose of implementing procedures for conducting 
        elections by mail; and
            (3) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress--
                    (A) annual reports on the implementation of such 
                procedures by participating States during each year in 
                which the program is conducted; and
                    (B) upon completion of the program conducted under 
                this section, a final report on the program, together 
                with recommendations for such legislation or 
                administrative action as the Election Assistance 
                Commission determines to be appropriate.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Grants.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        award grants under this section, for each of fiscal years 2007 
        through 2009, $36,000,000, to remain available without fiscal 
        year limitation until expended.
            (2) Administration.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated to administer the program under this section, 
        $2,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2007 through 2009, to 
        remain available without fiscal year limitation until expended.
    (i) Rule of Construction.--In no case shall any provision of this 
section be construed as affecting or replacing any provisions or 
requirements under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, or any other laws 
relating to the conduct of Federal elections.

SEC. 5. STUDY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF MAIL-IN VOTING FOR ELECTIONS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States (in this section referred to as the ``Comptroller 
        General'') shall conduct a study evaluating the benefits of 
        nationwide implementation of mail-in voting in elections, 
        taking into consideration the annual reports submitted by the 
        Election Assistance Commission under section 4(f)(3)(A) before 
        November 1, 2009.
            (2) Specific issues studied.--The study conducted under 
        paragraph (1) shall include a comparison of traditional voting 
        methods and mail-in voting with respect to--
                    (A) the likelihood of voter fraud and misconduct;
                    (B) accuracy of voter rolls;
                    (C) accuracy of election results;
                    (D) voter participation in urban and rural 
                communities and by minorities, language minorities (as 
                defined in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 
                (42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1a)), and individuals with 
                disabilities; and
                    (E) public confidence in the election system.
    (b) Report.--Not later than November 1, 2009, the Comptroller 
General shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a), together 
with such recommendations for legislation or administrative action as 
the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.

Answer:
Vote by Mail Act of 2006 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to establish a Vote by Mail program of grants to participating states solely for implementation of procedures for the conduct of all elections by mail at the state or local level.

Directs the Comptroller General to evaluate and report to Congress on the benefits of nationwide implementation of mail-in voting in elections.