H.R. 4Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019

2 recorded actions193 of these members are on the 2026 ballotWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Terri A. Sewell [D-AL-07]
Cosponsors: 229 · 229 Democrats
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Committee: Judiciary Committee
Latest action: Jul 27, 2020 · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 107, enrollment corrections on H.R. 4 have been made.

IntroducedFeb 26, 2019
Passed the HouseDec 6, 2019
Passed the SenateNot yet reached
Sent to the PresidentNot yet reached
Became lawNot yet reached

What the measure doesCRS summary

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.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, describing H.R. 4 as passed House on Dec 6, 2019. It is not the text of the measure; a later amendment may have changed what it does.

Roll calls on H.R. 42 roll calls on this measure

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Dec 6, 2019Each bar: ✓ Yea from the bottom, ✕ Nay aboveDec 6, 2019

How every member votedHouse roll call 654

House Dec 6, 2019 · the primary vote

On Passage

Voting Rights Advancement Act

Passed

228 Yea 187 Nay 16 not voting

Party-line vote 1 of 415 voting members broke with their own party: 1 Republican.

Open the official roll call

How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

By party select a segment to filter

All members431 members

Democratic233 members

Republican198 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors229 · 229 Democrats

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor H.R. 4 and vote against it. 207 signed when it was filed.

Loading the public record

Who lobbied on H.R. 436 organizations

Organizations that named H.R. 4 in a lobbying disclosure. Only those that cited the bill by number appear, so this is a floor, not a full list.

FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION

Energy/Nuclear · Defense · Taxation/Internal Revenue Code · Foreign Relations +11 more14 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Health Issues · Small Business · Government Issues · Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice +15 more12 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

COMMON CAUSE

Budget/Appropriations · Government Issues · Communications/Broadcasting/Radio/TV9 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATIONIts PAC: Boston Scientific Corp. PAC

Transportation · Health Issues · Veterans · Budget/Appropriations +3 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNIts PAC: Human Rights Campaign PAC

Family issues/Abortion/Adoption · Immigration · Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice · Defense +6 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

NETWORKfiled by NETWORK LOBBY FOR CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE

Budget/Appropriations · Family issues/Abortion/Adoption · Immigration · Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace +11 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION CTW-CLC

Retirement · Economics/Economic Development · Civil Rights/Civil Liberties · Disaster Planning/Emergencies +15 more8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

END CITIZENS UNITED ACTION FUND // LET AMERICA VOTE ACTION FUNDfiled by END CITIZENS UNITED ACTION FUND // LET AMERICA VOTE ACTION FUND, FKA END CITIZENS UNITED ACTION FUND

Intelligence · Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities · Postal · Constitution +3 more7 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERSIts PAC: D.R.I.V.E. - DEM, REP, IND Voter Ed

Tariff (miscellaneous tariff bills) · Immigration · Unemployment · Trade (domestic/foreign) +18 more6 filings · 2nd Quarter (Apr 1 - June 30) 2020Filing

LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERSIts PAC: League of Conservation Voters Action Fund

Environment/Superfund · Clean Air and Water (quality) · Government Issues · Energy/Nuclear +1 more6 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2020Filing

144 disclosures name this measure. Retrieved from LDA.gov on 2026-10-05. Senate Office of Public Records cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from LDA.gov.