Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act - Expresses the Congressional declarations that it is necessary to: (1) abolish for citizens residing overseas the domicile and residence requirements as preconditions to voting in Federal elections, and (2) establish standards relating to absentee registration and balloting by such citizens in Federal elections. Provides that no citizen residing overseas shall be denied the right to register for, and to vote by an absentee ballot in, any Federal election solely because he is not domiciled and does not have a place of abode in a State or district, if he meets specified requirements. Requires each State to provide for the registration of and casting of absentee ballots by all citizens residing overseas and entitled to vote in a Federal election in such State. Provides that each State shall mail the following by airmail to such citizen: (1) an absentee ballot; (2) instructions concerning voting procedures; and (3) an airmail envelope for the mailing of such ballot. Sets forth the form of the overseas citizen Federal election postcard. States that whoever deprives any person of any right secured by this Act shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Sets forth additional penalties for falsifying registration materials. Provides that the exercise of any right to register or vote by any citizen residing overseas shall not affect the determination of his place of residence or domicile (as distinguished from his place of voting) for purposes of any tax imposed under Federal, State or local law. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Administrator of General Services such sums as are necessary to carry out his duties under this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on September 24, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on September 24, 1974: Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN DENT (D-PA) introduced it on September 24, 1974, and 5 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 2 Democrats, 3 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on September 24, 1974, 19026 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19026 days ago, on September 24, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers