Voting Only Through English Act or the VOTE Act
This bill requires states to use English-only ballots to qualify for certain federal election funds. It also repeals a prohibition on English-only federal elections and eliminates language assistance provisions under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). (The VRA requires some jurisdictions to provide materials such as ballots and registration information in English and in other covered languages for voters whose English proficiency is limited. The bill removes these requirements.)
Specifically, the bill prohibits a state from receiving federal election administration funds if the state provides ballots for a federal election that include text in any language other than English.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2054 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2054
To provide that States that provide for an election for Federal office
that include text in any language other than English are ineligible to
receive certain Federal funds, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2025
Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Gill of Texas, Mr. LaMalfa,
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Mr. Baumgartner,
Mrs. Spartz, and Mr. Harrigan) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the
Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide that States that provide for an election for Federal office
that include text in any language other than English are ineligible to
receive certain Federal funds, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This act may be cited as the ``Voting Only Through English Act'' or
the ``VOTE Act''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON FUNDING.
Notwithstanding the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et
seq.) or any other provision of law, a State shall be ineligible to
receive Federal funds provided for purposes of the administration of
elections for Federal office for any fiscal year during which the State
provides ballots for an election for Federal office that include text
in any language other than English.
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF PROHIBITION OF ENGLISH-ONLY ELECTIONS.
Section 4(f) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10303(f))
is amended--
(1) by striking paragraphs (1), (3), and (4); and
(2) by striking ``(2) No'' and inserting ``No''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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