WASHINGTON - Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) released the following statement after the recent introduction of H.R. 4563, the American Confidence in Elections Act. Congressman McHenry is a cosponsor of this legislation. 

“It is imperative to uphold election integrity and ensure Americans have confidence in the results. That’s why I am proud to cosponsor the American Confidence in Elections Act. This bill will prevent non-citizens from voting in our elections and equip states with the tools to bolster election integrity, while respecting states’ responsibilities to administer elections.”

BACKGROUND

• This bill provides states with the tools to bolster voter confidence and improve election security by establishing the existing Election Assistance Commission (EAC) as the lead federal agency on all election administration matters, and grants the agency exclusive authority to make election administration grant disbursements to states to develop voluntary certification standards and guidelines for election equipment.
• Prevents non-citizens from participating in elections.
• Promotes voter identification by updating the HAVA first-time mail voter ID requirement to include all first-time voter registrations made using any method other than in-person at an election office.
• Requires Washington, D.C. to implement election integrity and voter confidence measures to serve as an example of effective election administration.
• Includes the First Amendment Protection Act, which aims to protect political speech and modernize campaign finance law.