Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act
Latest action · Oct 28, 2019 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
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.
- IntroducedOct 8, 2019
- Passed HouseOct 23, 2019
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act or the SHIELD Act
This bill establishes a duty to report election interference from foreign entities, applies existing campaign advertising requirements to online advertisements, and generally limits political spending and election interference by foreign entities.
Specifically, a political committee must report certain foreign contacts involving an offer of unlawful election assistance to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Election Commission. The bill establishes criminal penalties for violations of these requirements.
This bill establishes that an alien engaging in improper election interference shall be deportable and inadmissible into the United States.
Existing requirements for political advertisements and electioneering communications apply to internet and digital advertisements, including requirements related to disclosures and contributions. Additionally, large online platforms must maintain a public database of certain political advertisements.
The bill prohibits the distribution of certain deceptive audio or visual media within 60 days of an election.
The bill places limitations on political spending by foreign entities. Specifically, foreign entities may not (1) contribute to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda, or (2) make disbursements for certain internet activity referring to a candidate or a political issue.
A candidate is prohibited from offering to share nonpublic campaign information with certain foreign entities.
Recorded votes 3
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 583 | On Passage | Passed227–181 | Oct 23, 2019 |
| House 582 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed182–225 | Oct 23, 2019 |
| House 581 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed180–231 | Oct 23, 2019 |
Cosponsors 137
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 8, 2019 to Oct 21, 2019; 11 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-VA | A. Donald McEachin | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-WA | Derek Kilmer | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-NC | G. K. Butterfield | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-NY | Jerrold Nadler | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-MD | John P. Sarbanes | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-OH | Marcia L. Fudge | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-CA | Pete Aguilar | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-FL | Stephanie N. Murphy | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-CA | Susan A. Davis | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-NJ | Tom Malinowski | Original | Oct 8, 2019 |
| D-NY | Adriano Espaillat | Oct 11, 2019 | |
| D-MN | Angie Craig | Oct 11, 2019 | |
| D-AZ | Ann Kirkpatrick | Oct 11, 2019 | |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Oct 11, 2019 |
Committees 3
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 Oct 8, 2019Markup Oct 16, 2019Reported Oct 21, 2019 |
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Oct 8, 2019Discharged Oct 21, 2019 |
| Senate | Rules and Administration Committee | Referred Oct 28, 2019 |
Actions 40
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Oct 28, 2019Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Oct 23, 2019Rule H. Res. 650 passed House.
- Oct 23, 2019Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 650. (consideration: CR H8410-8442)
- Oct 23, 2019Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4617 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit with or without instructions allowed.
- Oct 23, 2019House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 650 and Rule XVIII.
In the Congressional Record 7
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Debate and remarks S6426 | Richard J. Durbin D-IL | Oct 24, 2020 |
| House | Debate and remarks H9331 | Rodney Davis R-IL | Dec 6, 2019 |
| House · Senate | Debate and remarks H8392, H8393, H8397, H8398–H8403, H8410–H8442, S6051Text printed H8398Amendments H8403, H8418, H8424, H8425, H8426, H8427, H8428, H8430, H8431, H8432, H8433, H8434, H8435, H8436, H8437Motions H8439Recorded votes H8409, H8438, H8441, H8442consideration (H. Res. 650), previous questionenactLesko amendment (prohibit Dept. of Justice involvement in State and local elections relative to misinformation campaigns)Rodney Davis motion to recommit (reduce illicit foreign money in elections, secure ballots, and prohibit non-citizens from voting) | Abigail Davis Spanberger D-VA (amendment), Alcee L. Hastings D-FL, Andy Levin D-MI (amendment), Anthony G. Brown D-MD (amendment), Antonio Delgado D-NY (amendment), Barry Loudermilk R-GA, Brian Higgins D-NY, Chrissy Houlahan D-PA (amendment), Conor Lamb D-PA, Dean Phillips D-MN, Debbie Lesko R-AZ (amendment), Derek Kilmer D-WA, Elissa Slotkin D-MI (amendment), Eric Swalwell D-CA (amendment), G. K. Butterfield D-NC, Gregory F. Murphy R-NC, H. Morgan Griffith R-VA, Harley Rouda D-CA, James R. Langevin D-RI (amendment), Jamie Raskin D-MD, Jim Costa D-CA, Joe Cunningham D-SC (amendment), John P. Sarbanes D-MD, Kay Granger R-TX, Ken Calvert R-CA, Mac Thornberry R-TX, Mark DeSaulnier D-CA (amendment), Max Rose D-NY, Mikie Sherrill D-NJ (amendment), Mitch McConnell R-KY, Rodney Davis R-IL (motion), Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX, Stephanie N. Murphy D-FL, Stephen F. Lynch D-MA (amendment), Susan A. Davis D-CA, Tom Cole R-OK (amendment), Tom McClintock R-CA, Zoe Lofgren D-CA | Oct 23, 2019 |
| House | Debate and remarks H8304 | Rick Larsen D-WA | Oct 22, 2019 |
| Extensions | Cost estimates E1316 | Zoe Lofgren D-CA | Oct 21, 2019 |
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.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Oct 21, 2019H.R. 4617, SHIELD ActAs ordered reported by the House Committee on House Administration on October 16, 2019
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 160, October 8, 2019, page H8101.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | MARKUP OF H.R. 4617, THE STOPPING HARMFUL INTERFERENCE IN ELECTIONS FOR A LASTING DEMOCRACY ACT161 pages | Committee on House Administration | Oct 16, 2019 |
CRS reports 4
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 4
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R46406 | Voter Registration: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress | Report | Oct 30, 2026 |
| R41542 | The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress | Report | Jul 29, 2025 |
| R46516 | Identifying TV Political and Issue Ad Sponsors in the Digital Age Archived | Report | Sep 9, 2020 |
| R46146 | Campaign and Election Security Policy: Overview and Recent Developments for Congress Archived | Report | Jan 2, 2020 |
Amendments 14
Amendments offered to this bill.
Related bills 12
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HRES 650 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4617) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to clarify the obligation to report acts of foreign election influence and require implementation of compliance and reporting systems by Federal campaigns to detect and report such acts, and for other purposes. | Procedurally related | Oct 23, 2019 |
| S 1834 | Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019 | Related bill | Jun 13, 2019 |
| S 2242 | Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act | Related bill | Jul 23, 2019 |
| S 2669 | SHIELD Act | Related bill | Oct 23, 2019 |
| HR 3281 | Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019 | Related bill | Jun 28, 2019 |
Titles 16
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to clarify the obligation to report acts of foreign election influence and require implementation of compliance and reporting systems by Federal campaigns to detect and report such acts, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Passed House
- SHIELD Act
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act
- SHIELD Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- SHIELD Act
- Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act
- Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill
- Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019
- Honest Ads Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House for portions of this bill
- Honest Ads Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill
- Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019
- Honest Ads Act
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- SHIELD Act
- Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy Act
- Short Title(s) for portions of this bill from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Honest Ads Act
- Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2019
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
- Accounting and auditing
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Civil actions and liability
- Congressional elections
- Congressional oversight
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
- Fraud offenses and financial crimes
- Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
- Government information and archives
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government studies and investigations
- Immigration status and procedures
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Licensing and registrations
- News media and reporting
- Photography and imaging
- Political advertising
- Public participation and lobbying
- Sound recording
- Subversive activities
- Voting rights
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Oct 28, 2019Referred in Senate
- Oct 23, 2019Engrossed in House
- Oct 21, 2019Reported in House
- Oct 8, 2019Introduced 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.
