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H.R. 4: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

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H.R. 4: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-02-26 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-02-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 653 (2019): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR4 (2019-12-06), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made. 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

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

Plain 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. All jurisdictions must preclear changes to requirements for documentation to vote that make the requirements more stringent than federal requirements for voters who register by mail or state law. The bill specifies practices jurisdictions meeting certain thresholds regarding racial minority groups, language minority groups, or minority groups on Indian land, must preclear before implementing. These practices include changes to methods of election, changes to jurisdiction boundaries, redistricting, changes to voting locations and opportunities, and changes to voter registration list maintenance. 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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

Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] · 229 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Judy Chu (D-CA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Ami Bera (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Jim Costa (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Al Green (D-TX) and 169 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] reported raising $2.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
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).
Exemption
A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Jurisdiction
The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr4 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116