OVERSEAS Vote Act
Latest action · Nov 14, 2007 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedNov 14, 2007
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Overseas Voting Education and Reform, Safeguarding Every American's Vote Act, or OVERSEAS Vote Act - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to prohibit a state from refusing to accept or process any otherwise valid absentee ballot submitted by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter on the grounds that the envelope in which the ballot is submitted is not notarized or witnessed by a notary public or other official authorized to administer oaths.
Repeals the requirement to apply for state absentee ballot as a condition for use of a federal write-in absentee ballot.
Permits voters to request absentee ballots in all subsequent elections.
Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to establish and operate a program of grants to eligible nonpartisan organizations for activities to: (1) assist overseas civilian voters in voting in federal elections; and (2) increase turnout by providing them with information in advance of an election on how to cast absentee ballots.
Requires the head of each office of the federal government with employees whose designated post of duty is outside the United States to notify them of the rights provided by UOCAVA to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.
Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that each passport issued after enactment of this Act describes such rights.
Extends application of UOCAVA to certain individuals who have never resided in the United States.
Cosponsors 17
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Dec 4, 2007 to Nov 20, 2008.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-NY | Carolyn B. Maloney | Dec 4, 2007 | |
| D-NJ | Rush Holt | Dec 4, 2007 | |
| D-TX | Sheila Jackson Lee | Dec 4, 2007 | |
| D-VI | Donna M. Christensen | Dec 11, 2007 | |
| D-HI | Neil Abercrombie | Jan 17, 2008 | |
| D-FL | Alcee L. Hastings | Feb 7, 2008 | |
| D-TN | Steve Cohen | Feb 7, 2008 | |
| D-CT | Christopher Murphy | Feb 13, 2008 | |
| D-WA | Jim McDermott | Feb 13, 2008 | |
| D-MO | Wm. Lacy Clay | Apr 22, 2008 | |
| D-MD | C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger | May 8, 2008 | |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | May 8, 2008 | |
| D-MN | Keith Ellison | May 8, 2008 | |
| D-TX | Al Green | May 13, 2008 | |
| D-CA | Fortney Pete Stark | May 15, 2008 | |
| D-HI | Mazie K. Hirono | Jul 9, 2008 | |
| D-PA | Joe Sestak | Nov 20, 2008 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Committee on House Administration | Referred Nov 14, 2007 |
| House | Foreign Affairs Committee | Referred Nov 14, 2007 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 14, 2007Introduced in House
- Nov 14, 2007Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS20764 | The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues Archived | Report | Oct 26, 2016 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to promote the participation of absent overseas voters in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Overseas Voting Education and Reform, Safeguarding Every American's Vote Act
- OVERSEAS Vote Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
- Absentee voting
- Americans in foreign countries
- Armed forces abroad
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Congress
- Congressional elections
- Economics and Public Finance
- Federal employees
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government publicity
- Grants-in-aid
- Immigration
- Law
- Passports
- Presidential elections
- State laws
- Voting
- Witnesses
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Nov 14, 2007Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
