Teacher:In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Federal Election Standards Act of
2001''.

TITLE I--ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON FEDERAL
ELECTION STANDARDS.

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION; MEMBERSHIP.

(a) Establishment of Commission.--There is established a commission
to be known as the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election
Standards (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ''Commission'').
(b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 24 voting and
2 nonvoting members, who shall serve for the life of the Commission and
shall be appointed as follows:
(1) 3 members appointed by the Majority Leader of the
Senate.
(2) 3 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate.
(3) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(4) 3 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House
of Representatives.
(5) 3 members appointed by the National Association of
Secretaries of State, of whom no more than 2 shall represent
States with large populations, no more than 2 shall represent
States with small populations, and no more than 2 shall be from
the same political party or geographic region.
(6) 3 members appointed by the National Association of
State Election Directors, of whom no more than 2 shall
represent States with large populations, no more than 2 shall
represent States with small populations, and no more than 2
shall be from the same political party or geographic region.
(7) 6 members who shall be local election officials and who
shall be appointed as follows:
(A) 2 shall be appointed by the Election Center.
(B) 2 shall be appointed by the International
Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials
and Treasurers.
(C) 2 shall be appointed by the National
Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and
Clerks.
(8) The Attorney General and the Chair of the Federal
Election Commission (or their respective designees), who shall
be nonvoting members of the Commission.
(b) Appointments; Initial Meeting.--Appointments to the Commission
shall be made not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act. The Commission shall hold its initial meeting not later than
30 days after the date on which all members of the Commission have been
appointed, and at such meeting shall select a chair from among the
members of the Commission.
(c) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its
powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.
(d) Rules of the Commission.--
(1) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(2) Meetings.--Meetings shall be held at the call of the
chair upon at least 14 days written notice. All meetings shall
be open to the public.
(3) Voting.--All actions of the Commission shall be by
majority vote of those present and voting.
(4) Testimony.--The Commission shall provide opportunities
for representatives of the general public, civic groups,
consumer groups, and State and local government officials to
testify.
(5) Additional rules.--The Commission may adopt additional
rules as needed.

SEC. 102. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

(a) In General.--The Commission shall--
(1) examine and report to the President, the Congress, and
the chief election official of each State regarding the
accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election
procedures in the States;
(2) develop standards for the conduct of Federal elections
and make recommendations with respect to the periodic review
and updating of such standards; and
(3) make additional recommendations to Congress with
respect to procedural and administrative aspects of Federal
elections over which Congress may exercise legislative
authority under the Constitution of the United States.
(b) Specific Consideration of Certain Issues in Development of
Standards.--In developing standards under subsection (a)(2) for the
conduct of Federal elections, the Commission shall give specific
consideration to the following:
(1) Procedures for voter registration and maintenance of
lists of registered voters.
(2) Ballot design, voting equipment, the methods employed
in counting and recounting votes, and the procedures for
challenging the results.
(3) Factors which affect access to and the efficient and
orderly operation of polling places, including hours of voting
(which may include standards for a uniform national poll
closing time for presidential elections), number and
accessibility of polling stations, training of poll workers,
methods of reducing delay, and steps to ensure that all voters
who report to the polls have an opportunity to cast votes.
(4) Procedures for mail-in and absentee voting (including
deadlines for receipt of mail-in and absentee ballots).
(c) Specific Consideration of Certain Issues in Additional
Recommendations.--In preparing additional recommendations for Congress
under subsection (a)(3), the Commission shall make recommendations as
to whether Federal law should be amended to authorize Federal elections
to be conducted--
(1) on dates other than those prescribed by current Federal
law so as to permit weekend elections, voting on multiple days,
or expanded early voting options; and
(2) by means of the Internet.

SEC. 103. REPORTS.

(a) Report on Current Procedures and Recommended Standards.--Not
later than 12 months after the date of the initial meeting of the
Commission, the Commission shall submit to the President, the Congress,
the chair of the Federal Election Commission, and the chief election
official of each State a report which includes--
(1) the findings and conclusions of the Commission on the
accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election
procedures in the States made under section 102(a)(1), together
with other findings and conclusions of the Commission; and
(2) the recommended standards for the conduct of Federal
elections developed under section 102(a)(2).
(b) Report on Additional Recommendations.--Not later than 12 months
after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, the Commission
shall submit to Congress the additional recommendations prepared under
section 102(a)(3).
(c) Separate Views.--Any member of the Commission may submit
additional findings and recommendations to be made a part of the
reports submitted under this section.

SEC. 104. POWERS.

(a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act
at such places and times, take such testimony, and receive such
evidence as the Commission deems necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act, except that in holding hearings the Commission shall
select locations for the hearings in a manner which reflects a balance
among various geographic regions of the United States.
(b) Access to Federal Information.--The Commission may secure
directly from any department or agency of the United States information
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the chair
of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish
that information to the Commission.
(c) Use of Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments
and agencies of the Federal Government.

SEC. 105. COMPENSATION AND PERSONNEL.

(a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Commission shall serve
without pay, but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in
lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving
intermittently in Government service under subchapter I of chapter 57
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes and places
of business in the performance of services for the Commission.
(b) Personnel.--The chair of the Commission may appoint staff of
the Commission, request the detail of Federal employees, and accept
temporary and intermittent services in accordance with section 3161 of
title 5, United States Code, except that the rate of pay of any staff
may not exceed the annual rate payable for level V of the Executive
Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 106. SUPPORT SERVICES.

The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the
Commission on a reimbursable basis such administrative support services
as the Commission may request.

SEC. 107. TERMINATION.

The Commission shall terminate not later than the date that is 30
days after the date the Commission submits the reports required under
section 103.

SEC. 108. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to the
Commission to carry out this title.

TITLE II--FEDERAL ELECTION STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS

SEC. 201. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.

(a) In General.--
(1) Establishment of program.--Not later than 60 days after
the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election Standards
submits the report containing its recommended standards for the
conduct of Federal elections under section 103(a), the Federal
Election Commission shall establish a program to make grants to
qualifying States to improve the accuracy, integrity, and
efficiency of Federal election procedures by carrying out
programs, projects, and other activities to bring the conduct
of Federal elections into conformity with such standards.
(2) Solicitation of applications.--Not later than 30 days
after establishing the program under this section, the Federal
Election Commission shall begin soliciting applications from
States for grants under the program.
(b) Qualifying State Defined.--In this section, a ''qualifying
State'' is a State which has submitted an application for a grant under
the program under this section (at such time and in such form and
manner as the Federal Election Commission may require) containing such
information and assurances as the Federal Election Commission may
require.
(c) Permitted Uses.--Grants made under the program under this
section may be used by States, either directly or through units of
local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and private
entities, and multi-jurisdictional or regional consortia, for
activities which may include the following:
(1) The hiring of employees or consultants to design and
implement systems and procedures which meet the standards
referred to in subsection (a).
(2) The procurement of equipment, technology, and
administrative and managerial support systems which meet such
standards.
(3) The provision of training or retraining to election
officials, employees, and volunteers in the proper use and
maintenance of new systems and procedures which meet such
standards.
(4) Activities to enhance public confidence and
participation in the electoral process by increasing knowledge
and awareness of new systems and procedures which meet such
standards.
(5) The evaluation of the effectiveness of new systems and
procedures put in place using funds provided under this title.
(d) Matching Funds.--The portion of the costs of a program,
project, or activity provided by a grant under the program under this
section may not exceed 75 percent of the total costs of the program,
project, or activity, except that the Federal Election Commission may
waive this requirement in whole or in part under such terms and
conditions as the Federal Election Commission considers appropriate.
(e) Minimum Amount.--Unless all applications submitted by all
qualifying States for grants under the program under this section have
been funded, the amount received under this section for any fiscal year
by each qualifying State, together with grantees within the State, may
not be less than 0.5 percent of the total amount appropriated for such
grants for the fiscal year.

SEC. 202. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

(a) In General.--The Federal Election Commission may provide
technical assistance to States, units of local government, Indian
tribal governments, and other public and private entities, in
furtherance of the purposes of this title.
(b) Training Centers and Facilities.--The technical assistance
provided by the Federal Election Commission under this section may
include the establishment and operation of training centers or
facilities, either directly or by contracting or cooperative
arrangements. The functions of such centers or facilities may include
instruction and seminars for election officials, employees, trainers,
and such others as the Federal Election Commission considers
appropriate to meet the objectives of this title.

SEC. 203. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

Not later than 60 days after each fiscal year for which grants are
made under this title, the Federal Election Commission shall submit a
report to Congress on the programs carried out under this title during
the year, and may include in the report any recommendations of the
Federal Election Commission for amendments to this title and related
provisions of law.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title
$250,000,000 for each of the first 3 fiscal years beginning after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and such sums as may be necessary
for each succeeding fiscal year.

TITLE III--STATE DEFINED

SEC. 301. STATE DEFINED.

In this Act, the term ''State'' means a State of the United States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the
Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
Student:
Federal Election Standards Act of 2001- Establishes the National Advisory Commission on Federal Election Standards to: (1) examine and report to the President, the Congress, and the chief election official of each State regarding the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election procedures in the States; (2) develop standards for the conduct of Federal elections and make recommendations with respect to the periodic review and updating of such standards; and (3) make additional recommendations to Congress with respect to procedural and administrative aspects of Federal elections over which Congress may exercise legislative authority under the Constitution.Directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to establish a program to make grants to qualifying States to improve the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of Federal election procedures by carrying out programs, projects, and other activities to bring the conduct of Federal elections into conformity with such standards.