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H.R. 378: Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

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H.R. 378: Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-09 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-09 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-12] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

Plain summary

Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019 This bill addresses the security of federal elections, including by requiring paper ballots, requiring audits of election results, and providing support for voting system security improvements. Voting systems must use individual, durable, voter-verified, paper ballots beginning one year after enactment of this bill. The ballots must be marked and made available for inspection and verification by the voter before the vote is cast and counted. The bill prohibits states or other jurisdictions from acquiring electronic voting systems for use in a federal election that do not produce a voter-verified paper record. States must audit election results in competitive races beginning in November 2022. Audits must consist of random hand counts of paper ballots. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must pay states to cover the costs of audits. The EAC must award grants to states to improve voting system security by updating or testing voting equipment, keeping offline backups of voter registration lists, providing a secure platform for disseminating vote totals, or taking other specified actions. If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines that the security of a state's voting system or voter registration database was breached or is investigating whether a breach occurred, then DHS must report on the determination or investigation to specified congressional committees and the state election office. At the request of a state, DHS must collaborate with the state election office to help prevent and respond to threats to the security of the state's voting systems and voter registration databases.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Safeguarding Election Infrastructure Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-12] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-12] reported raising $1.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr378 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116