H.R. 7356

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7356 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7356

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the use of 
Federal funds for election administration in States that permit ballot 
harvesting.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 2026

Mr. Edwards (for himself, Mr. Onder, Mr. McDowell, Ms. Tenney, Mr. 
Harrigan, Mr. Gill of Texas, Mr. Cline, Mr. Bentz, and Mr. Steube) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the use of 
Federal funds for election administration in States that permit ballot 
harvesting.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``No Federal 
Funds for Ballot Harvesting Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the right to vote is a fundamental right of citizens of 
the United States, as described by the Constitution of the 
United States;
(2) the Committee on House Administration of the House of 
Representatives, which is charged with investigating election 
irregularities, received reports through its official Election 
Observer Program for the 2018 general election and the 2020 
general election, as well as from other stakeholders, that 
individuals other than voters themselves were depositing large 
amounts of absentee ballots at polling places throughout 
California and other States, a practice colloquially known as 
``ballot harvesting'';
(3) the practice of ballot harvesting creates significant 
vulnerabilities in the chain of custody of ballots because 
individuals collecting ballots are not required to be 
registered voters and are not required to identify themselves 
at a voter's home, and the State does not track how many 
ballots are harvested in an election;
(4) ballot harvesting invites electioneering activity at 
home and weakens States' long-standing voter protection 
procedures which remain in place at polling locations, creating 
the possibility of undue influence over voters by bad actors; 
and
(5) the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed 
State authority to restrict ballot harvesting (Brnovich v. 
Democratic National Committee, 594 U.S. 647 (2021)).

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
IN STATES THAT PERMIT BALLOT HARVESTING.

(a) In General.--The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20901 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 907. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
FOR STATES ALLOWING COLLECTION AND TRANSMISSION OF 
BALLOTS BY CERTAIN THIRD PARTIES.

``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
Federal funds may be used to administer any election for Federal office 
in a State unless the State has in effect a law that prohibits an 
individual from the knowing collection and transmission of a ballot in 
an election for Federal office that was mailed to another person, other 
than the following individuals:
``(1) An election official while engaged in official duties 
as authorized by law.
``(2) An employee of the United States Postal Service or 
other commercial common carrier engaged in similar activities 
while engaged in duties authorized by law.
``(3) Any other individual who is allowed by law to collect 
and transmit United States mail, while engaged in official 
duties as authorized by law.
``(4) A family member, household member, or caregiver of 
the person to whom the ballot was mailed.
``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, with respect to a 
person to whom the ballot was mailed:
``(1) The term `caregiver' means an individual who provides 
medical or health care assistance to such person in a 
residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted 
living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, 
residential care institution, adult day health care facility, 
or adult foster care home.
``(2) The term `family member' means an individual who is 
related to such person by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal 
guardianship.
``(3) The term `household member' means an individual who 
resides at the same residence as such person.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 908. Prohibition on Federal funds for election administration 
for States allowing collection and 
transmission of ballots by certain third 
parties.''.
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