Legis Daily

To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-2978| House 
| Updated: 7/17/2017
Terri A. Sewell

Terri A. Sewell

Democratic Representative

Alabama

Cosponsors (193)
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democratic)Dwight Evans (Democratic)Al Lawson (Democratic)Stacey E. Plaskett (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)David Loebsack (Democratic)Tim Ryan (Democratic)Val Butler Demings (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Tom O'Halleran (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Richard M. Nolan (Democratic)Ruben Gallego (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Steny H. Hoyer (Democratic)Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democratic)Adam B. Schiff (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Nita M. Lowey (Democratic)Robin L. Kelly (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Stephanie N. Murphy (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)James R. Langevin (Democratic)Joyce Beatty (Democratic)Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Brian Higgins (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Kathleen M. Rice (Democratic)Darren Soto (Democratic)Raul Ruiz (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)John A. Yarmuth (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Madeleine Z. Bordallo (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Bill Foster (Democratic)Joe Courtney (Democratic)Sanford D. Bishop (Democratic)C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)David Scott (Democratic)Frederica S. Wilson (Democratic)Juan Vargas (Democratic)Bobby L. Rush (Democratic)Jimmy Panetta (Democratic)Carol Shea-Porter (Democratic)J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Dina Titus (Democratic)Michael F. Doyle (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Debbie Dingell (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Tony Cárdenas (Democratic)Susan A. Davis (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Scott H. Peters (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)Donald M. Payne (Democratic)Thomas R. Suozzi (Democratic)John P. Sarbanes (Democratic)Wm. Lacy Clay (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Anthony G. Brown (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Danny K. Davis (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Peter A. DeFazio (Democratic)Daniel T. Kildee (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)A. Donald McEachin (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Ann M. Kuster (Democratic)Sean Patrick Maloney (Democratic)Kurt Schrader (Democratic)Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (Democratic)Al Green (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)Brendan F. Boyle (Democratic)Matt Cartwright (Democratic)John B. Larson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)Jim Cooper (Democratic)Joseph D. Morelle (Democratic)G. K. Butterfield (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Timothy J. Walz (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Gene Green (Democratic)Gregory W. Meeks (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democratic)Filemon Vela (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)James A. Himes (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Theodore E. Deutch (Democratic)Sander M. Levin (Democratic)John Lewis (Democratic)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Ami Bera (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Luis V. Gutierrez (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Kathy Castor (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Peter J. Visclosky (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)Norma J. Torres (Democratic)Conor Lamb (Democratic)Tulsi Gabbard (Democratic)Salud O. Carbajal (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Ruben J. Kihuen (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Jim Costa (Democratic)Mike Quigley (Democratic)Lois Frankel (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Ron Kind (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)James E. Clyburn (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)Joseph Crowley (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Jerry McNerney (Democratic)Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democratic)Beto O'Rourke (Democratic)Yvette D. Clarke (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Jared Polis (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Albio Sires (Democratic)Cedric L. Richmond (Democratic)Bennie G. Thompson (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Charlie Crist (Democratic)Robert A. Brady (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Nancy Pelosi (Democratic)Josh Gottheimer (Democratic)Linda T. Sánchez (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Frank Pallone (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)John K. Delaney (Democratic)Jimmy Gomez (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Cheri Bustos (Democratic)Bradley Scott Schneider (Democratic)Alcee L. Hastings (Democratic)Lloyd Doggett (Democratic)Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Bill Pascrell (Democratic)Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee, Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to certain requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unlessas specified. This bill prescribes transparency requirements regarding any changes to specified matters. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 21, 2017
Introduced in House
Jun 21, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jun 22, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 115-1419
Introduced in Senate
Jul 10, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Jul 17, 2017
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
  • June 21, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • June 21, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.


  • June 22, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 115-1419
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 10, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.


  • July 17, 2017
    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • S 115-1419: A bill to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes.
Civil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFederal-Indian relationsJurisdiction and venueRacial and ethnic relationsState and local government operationsVoting rights

To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-2978| House 
| Updated: 7/17/2017
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to certain requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unlessas specified. This bill prescribes transparency requirements regarding any changes to specified matters. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 21, 2017
Introduced in House
Jun 21, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jun 22, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 115-1419
Introduced in Senate
Jul 10, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Jul 17, 2017
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
  • June 21, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • June 21, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.


  • June 22, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 115-1419
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 10, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.


  • July 17, 2017
    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E999-1000)
Terri A. Sewell

Terri A. Sewell

Democratic Representative

Alabama

Cosponsors (193)
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democratic)Dwight Evans (Democratic)Al Lawson (Democratic)Stacey E. Plaskett (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)David Loebsack (Democratic)Tim Ryan (Democratic)Val Butler Demings (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Tom O'Halleran (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Richard M. Nolan (Democratic)Ruben Gallego (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Steny H. Hoyer (Democratic)Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democratic)Adam B. Schiff (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Nita M. Lowey (Democratic)Robin L. Kelly (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Stephanie N. Murphy (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)James R. Langevin (Democratic)Joyce Beatty (Democratic)Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Brian Higgins (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Kathleen M. Rice (Democratic)Darren Soto (Democratic)Raul Ruiz (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)John A. Yarmuth (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Madeleine Z. Bordallo (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Bill Foster (Democratic)Joe Courtney (Democratic)Sanford D. Bishop (Democratic)C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)David Scott (Democratic)Frederica S. Wilson (Democratic)Juan Vargas (Democratic)Bobby L. Rush (Democratic)Jimmy Panetta (Democratic)Carol Shea-Porter (Democratic)J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Dina Titus (Democratic)Michael F. Doyle (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Debbie Dingell (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Tony Cárdenas (Democratic)Susan A. Davis (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Scott H. Peters (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)Donald M. Payne (Democratic)Thomas R. Suozzi (Democratic)John P. Sarbanes (Democratic)Wm. Lacy Clay (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Anthony G. Brown (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Danny K. Davis (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Peter A. DeFazio (Democratic)Daniel T. Kildee (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)A. Donald McEachin (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Ann M. Kuster (Democratic)Sean Patrick Maloney (Democratic)Kurt Schrader (Democratic)Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (Democratic)Al Green (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)Brendan F. Boyle (Democratic)Matt Cartwright (Democratic)John B. Larson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)Jim Cooper (Democratic)Joseph D. Morelle (Democratic)G. K. Butterfield (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Timothy J. Walz (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Gene Green (Democratic)Gregory W. Meeks (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democratic)Filemon Vela (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)James A. Himes (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Theodore E. Deutch (Democratic)Sander M. Levin (Democratic)John Lewis (Democratic)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Ami Bera (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Luis V. Gutierrez (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Kathy Castor (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Peter J. Visclosky (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)Norma J. Torres (Democratic)Conor Lamb (Democratic)Tulsi Gabbard (Democratic)Salud O. Carbajal (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Ruben J. Kihuen (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Jim Costa (Democratic)Mike Quigley (Democratic)Lois Frankel (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Ron Kind (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)James E. Clyburn (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)Joseph Crowley (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Jerry McNerney (Democratic)Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democratic)Beto O'Rourke (Democratic)Yvette D. Clarke (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Jared Polis (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Albio Sires (Democratic)Cedric L. Richmond (Democratic)Bennie G. Thompson (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Charlie Crist (Democratic)Robert A. Brady (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Nancy Pelosi (Democratic)Josh Gottheimer (Democratic)Linda T. Sánchez (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Frank Pallone (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)John K. Delaney (Democratic)Jimmy Gomez (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Cheri Bustos (Democratic)Bradley Scott Schneider (Democratic)Alcee L. Hastings (Democratic)Lloyd Doggett (Democratic)Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Bill Pascrell (Democratic)Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee, Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • S 115-1419: A bill to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityElections, voting, political campaign regulationFederal-Indian relationsJurisdiction and venueRacial and ethnic relationsState and local government operationsVoting rights