John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021
Latest action. Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which clotureThe Senate's only procedure for ending debate over objection. Most legislation needs 60 votes; nominations need a simple majority.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on the motion to proceed to S. 4 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 459) entered in Senate.
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021
This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.
The bill also includes provisions related to federally protected activities at polling places and voting access on tribal lands.
A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if
15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; or
10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself.
A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years.
States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as changes to methods of election and redistricting.
Further, states and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices.
Next, the bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights.
The bill also outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
In addition, the bill (1) includes certain protections for election workers, polling places, and election infrastructure; and (2) expands voting access on tribal lands.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on October 5, 2021. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 459) entered in Senate.
Civibrief does not map this action to a stage in the process. See the official record.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
The latest action on file does not map to a stage Civibrief recognizes, so the page will not name one. The record's own words are the reliable fact here.
The record's latest action, on November 3, 2021: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 459) entered in Senate.
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 117th Congress (2021-22), 362 of the 15,242 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.4 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one has no outstanding steps 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?
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced it on October 5, 2021, and 48 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 46 Democrats, 2 independents.
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 October 5, 2021, 1801 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 1772 days ago, on November 3, 2021.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 117th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2023 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
- SenateMotion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 459) entered in Senate.
- HouseNot stated in the latest action
- PresidentNot stated in the latest action