April 21, 2021

Castro Global Election Bill Approved by Foreign Affairs Committee, Heads to House Floor

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact, welcomed approval by the House Foreign Affairs of the Global Electoral Exchange Act. Castro re-introduced this bicameral and bipartisan legislation with Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight of federal elections, and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and the bill would share information on election practices with our international allies.

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy, and this bill with help improve the administration and the security of elections worldwide,” said Congressman Castro. “Election exchange programs led by State Department increases collaboration with our allies and strengthen safeguards against electoral interference against our adversaries. I’m grateful to my Committee colleagues for advancing this vital legislation, and I look forward to its passage by the House of Representatives.”

“The Global Electoral Exchange Act will help democratic nations safeguard critical institutions and promote free, fair, transparent, and secure elections,” said Congresswoman Wagner. “Authoritarian governments are working to erode faith in democracy by spreading disinformation and interfering in our elections. This legislation will strengthen elections at home and abroad, prevent future election interference, and ensure our partners have the tools to cultivate and defend their democratic institutions.”

The Global Electoral Exchange Act would establish an international information sharing program on election administration and security at the State Department. The program would allow for the U.S. and our international allies to exchange best practices on issues like auditing election results, countering disinformation campaigns, protecting voter databases, and other critical election administration practices. The bill also authorizes the State Department to provide grants to U.S. nonprofit organizations that specialize in election security and administration for the purpose of exchanging information with similar organizations in partner countries.

The Global Electoral Exchange Act will improve international election security by:

  • Authorizing the State Department, in consultation with the United States Agency for International Development, to provide $5 million in grants each year to U.S. nonprofit organizations that specialize in election security and election administration for the purpose of exchanging information with similar organizations in partner countries.
  • Sending foreign individuals who participate in election administration – from government officials, poll workers, members of the judiciary, and more – to the United States to study election procedure for educational purposes, and sending U.S. election administrators, experts, and officials to other countries to study how our allies are working to protect their democracies in light of threats from countries like Russia and Iran.
  • Establishing a “Global Electoral Exchange Program Alumni” network at the State Department to promote further exchanges of information.
  • Requiring the State Department to submit reports on the status of the program every two years to the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Rules and Administration, and the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Administration.

You can read the full legislative text here.

 

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