Govwatch

Introduced

In Committee

3

Passed One Chamber

4

Passed Both

5

Signed into Law

Sponsor

Summer L. Lee

Democrat · PA · Representative

Votes with party: 95.9% (651 recorded votes)

Top industries funding sponsor:

Climate & Environment$105k

Full profile: /officials/L000602

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (25)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

2026-06-24

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

Currently in

House Committee on the JudiciaryReferred To · 2026-06-24

Plain-English Summary

The proposal would establish new rules and protections for voting in federal elections, including measures related to voter registration, voting access, and election administration. It would affect all Americans eligible to vote, election officials, and states responsible for running elections. The specific provisions are being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

Subjects

Government Operations and Politics

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9437 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9437 Protecting the right to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 24, 2026 Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Simon, Mr. Peters, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Carson, Mr. Casar, Mr. Frost, Ms. Craig, Ms. McClellan, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Omar, and Mr. Green of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL Protecting the right to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Right to Vote Act''. SEC. 2. UNDUE BURDENS ON THE ABILITY TO VOTE IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE PROHIBITED. (a) In General.--Every citizen of legal voting age shall have the fundamental right to vote in elections for Federal office. (b) Retrogression.--A government may not diminish the ability to vote in an election for Federal office unless the law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action causing the diminishment is the least restrictive means of significantly furthering an important, particularized government interest. (c) Substantial Impairment.--A government may not substantially impair the ability to vote in an election for Federal office unless the law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action causing the impairment significantly furthers an important, particularized governmental interest. A substantial impairment is a non-trivial impairment that makes it more difficult to vote than if the law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action had not been adopted or implemented. An impairment may be substantial even if the voter or other similarly situated voters are able to vote notwithstanding the impairment. SEC. 3. JUDICIAL REVIEW. (a) Civil Action.--An action challenging a violation of the rights created by this Act may be brought in the district court for the District of Columbia, or the district court for the district in which the violation took place or where any defendant resides or does business, at the selection of the plaintiff, to obtain all appropriate relief, whether declaratory or injunctive, or facial or as-applied. Process may be served in any district where a defendant resides, does business, or may be found. (b) Standards To Be Applied.--Courts adjudicating actions brought to enforce the rights created by this Act shall apply the following standards: (1) Retrogression.-- (A) A plaintiff establishes a prima facie case of retrogression by demonstrating by a preponderance of the evidence that a rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action diminishes the ability, or otherwise makes it more difficult, to vote. (B) Once a plaintiff establishes a prima facie case as described in subparagraph (A), the government shall be provided an opportunity to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the diminishment is necessary to significantly further an important, particularized governmental interest. (C) If the government meets its burden under subparagraph (B), the challenged rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action shall nonetheless be deemed invalid if the plaintiff demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that the government could adopt or implement a less- restrictive means of furthering the particular important governmental interest. (2) Substantial impairment.-- (A) A plaintiff establishes a prima facie case of…

Show the remaining 556 words

substantial impairment by demonstrating by a preponderance of the evidence that a rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action substantially impairs the ability, or makes it substantially difficult, to vote. (B) Once a plaintiff establishes a prima facie case as described in subparagraph (A), the government shall be provided an opportunity to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the impairment significantly furthers an important, particularized governmental interest. (c) Duty To Expedite.--It shall be the duty of the court to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest reasonable extent the disposition of the action and appeal under this section. (d) Attorney's Fees.--Section 722(b) of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``or section 40302'' and inserting ``section 40302''; and (2) by striking ``, the court'' and inserting ``, or the Right to Vote Act, the court''. SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. In this Act-- (1) the term ``covered entity'' means the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory and possession of the United States; (2) the terms ``election'' and ``Federal office'' have the meanings given such terms in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101); (3) the term ``government'' includes a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, and official (or other person acting under color of law) of the United States, of any State, of any covered entity, or of any political subdivision of any State or covered entity; and (4) the term ``vote'' means all actions necessary to make a vote effective, including registration or other action required by law as a prerequisite to voting, casting a ballot, and having such ballot counted and included in the appropriate totals of votes cast with respect to candidates for public office for which votes are received in an election. SEC. 5. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. (a) Burdens Not Authorized.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize a government to burden the right to vote in elections for Federal office. (b) Other Rights and Remedies.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to alter any rights existing under a State constitution or the Constitution of the United States, or to limit any remedies for any other violations of Federal, State, or local law. SEC. 6. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any citizen or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and the application of the provisions of such to any citizen or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATES. (a) Actions Brought for Retrogression.--Subsection (b) of section 2 shall apply to any law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action that was not in effect during the November 2024 general election for Federal office but that will be in effect with respect to elections for Federal office occurring on or after September 1, 2026, even if such law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action is already in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act. (b) Actions Brought for Substantial Impairment.--Subsection (c) of section 2 shall apply to any law, rule, standard, practice, procedure, or other governmental action in effect with respect to elections for Federal office occurring on or after September 1, 2026. <all>

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