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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 4 (116th)

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

26 February 2019

Last action

27 July 2020 · Floor

Status

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.

Sponsors

Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5], Rep. Pelosi, Nancy [D-CA-11], Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5], Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. [D-NY-8], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33], Colin Allred, Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17], Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1], Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17], Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Cooper, Jim [D-TN-5], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Cox, TJ [D-CA-21], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Crist, Charlie [D-FL-13], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Delgado, Antonio [D-NY-19], Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 August 2026

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Summary

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices in these areas may take effect. (Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.) A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if (1) 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or (2) 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a voting practice to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from preclearance. The bill specifies practices that all jurisdictions must preclear before implementing. The bill expands the circumstances under which (1) a court may retain the authority to preclear voting changes made by a state or political subdivision, or (2) the Department of Justice may assign election observers. States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. The bill revises the circumstances under which a court must grant preliminary injunctive relief in a challenge to voting practices.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 26 February 2019

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 26 February 2019

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 26 February 2019

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 25 March 2019

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

    Source: Committee

  5. 22 October 2019

    Committee

    Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Discharged.

    Source: Committee

  6. 23 October 2019

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  7. 23 October 2019

    Vote

    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 6.

    Source: Committee

  8. 29 November 2019

    Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 258.

    Source: Calendars

  9. 29 November 2019

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 116-317.

    Source: Committee

  10. 29 November 2019

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 116-317.

    Source: Committee

  11. 4 December 2019

    Reported

    Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 741 Reported to House. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Res. 326 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The rule provides that the amendments to H. Res. 326 and preamble, modified by the amendments in Part B of the report are considered as adopted.

    Source: Floor

  12. 6 December 2019

    Floor

    Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H9331)

    Source: Floor

  13. 6 December 2019

    Floor

    The previous question was ordered without objection.

    Source: Floor

  14. 6 December 2019

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  15. 6 December 2019

    Vote

    On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654). (text: CR H9308-9312)

    Source: Floor

  16. 6 December 2019

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 228 - 187 (Roll no. 654).(text: CR H9308-9312)

    Source: Floor

  17. 6 December 2019

    Vote

    On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 200 - 215 (Roll no. 653).

    Source: Floor

  18. 6 December 2019

    Floor

    The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

    Source: Floor

  19. 6 December 2019

    Floor

    The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. Also, the resolution provides for consideration of H. Res. 326 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The rule provides that the amendments to H. Res. 326 and preamble, modified by the amendments in Part B of the report are considered as adopted.

    Source: Floor

  20. 6 December 2019

    Floor

    Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 741. (consideration: CR H9308-9330)

    Source: Floor

  21. 9 December 2019

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  22. 27 July 2020

    Floor

    Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.

    Source: Floor

Votes

6 December 2019 · passed · On Passage · Passed · Official source

Yes 228 · No 187 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 16

Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

6 December 2019 · failed · On Motion to Recommit with Instructions · Failed · Official source

Yes 200 · No 215 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 15

Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

Versions

Documents

11 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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  • Referred in Senate (text)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 9 December 2019

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  • Referred in Senate (PDF)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 9 December 2019

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  • Engrossed in House (text)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 6 December 2019

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  • Engrossed in House (PDF)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 6 December 2019

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  • Passed House

    summary · EN · 6 December 2019

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  • Reported in House (text)

    Reported in House · EN · 29 November 2019

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  • Reported in House (PDF)

    Reported in House · EN · 29 November 2019

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  • Reported to House

    summary · EN · 29 November 2019

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 26 February 2019

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 26 February 2019

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 26 February 2019

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Sponsors

Showing 48 of 232 sponsors and actors.

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Sources

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