H.R. 4617 - 116th Congress (2019-2020) - 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.

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 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.

The bill also prohibits (1) the dissemination of false statements regarding federal elections or public endorsement, or (2) the intentional hindering of voting or registering to vote. The bill establishes criminal penalties and a private right of action with respect to these prohibitions.

Text (4)

October 28, 2019

October 23, 2019

October 21, 2019

October 8, 2019

Amendments (14)

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 651

An amendment numbered 14 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require that online platform records of purchase requests for qualified political advertisements include a statement that a person is acting as the agent of a foreign principal and the identification of the foreign principal involved, when applicable. Qualified political advertisements include ads related to national legislative issues of public importance.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 650

An amendment numbered 13 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require the Federal Election Commission to include in its report to Congress an analysis of disinformation campaigns focused on influencing military servicemembers and veterans along with recommendations to address these efforts.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 649

An amendment nubmered 12 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require the Federal Election Commission to include in its report to Congress an analysis of disinformation campaigns focused on depressing turnout among African-American and other minority communities.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 648

An amendment numbered 11 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to expand from 60 days before an election to 90 days the provisions on knowingly prohibiting deceptive practices in federal elections, including knowingly providing false information about the time or place of voting, qualifications for voting, or public endorsements.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 647

An amendment numbered 10 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to direct the GAO to conduct an assessment of current exemptions of FARA registration requirements and what adjustments should be made to prevent foreign funding from influencing U.S. elections and political processes.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 646

An amendment numbered 9 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to codify the FEC definition of substantial assistance for an illegal foreign transaction and defines what it means to knowingly abet a foreign entity, consistent with FEC regulations.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 645

An amendment numbered 8 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require the Federal Election Commission to do an analysis of the extent to which illicit foreign money was used to carry out disinformation and propaganda campaigns focused on depressing turnout among rural communities and the success or failure of these efforts, together with recommendations to address these efforts in future elections.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 644

An amendment numbered 7 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require the FBI to confirm receipt when a political committee issues a notification that they have been contacted by a reportable foreign contact. Additionally, requires the FBI to submit a report to Congress on how they are managing and responding to notifications from political committees.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 643

An amendment numbered 6 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to include a candidate's immediate family members among those whose direct or indirect contacts or communications with a covered foreign national may amount to a reportable foreign contact with the term immediate family member meaning a candidate's parent, parent-in-law, spouse, adult child, or sibling.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 642

An amendment numbered 5 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to direct the Federal Elections Commission to commission an independent study and report on media literacy with respect to online political content consumption among voting-age Americans.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 641

An amendment numbered 4 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to prohibit foreign nationals from influencing American elections by setting up shell companies.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 640

An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to generally prohibit the use of deepfakes within 60 days of a federal election and establish corresponding criminal and civil penalties.

Agreed To

Oct 23, 2019

Not Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 639

Amendment sought to remove the requirement that the Attorney General communicate corrective actions to the public.

Active

Oct 23, 2019

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 638

An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part B of House Report 116-253 to require the FEC to notify states within 30 days of making a determination that a foreign national has initiated or attempted to initiate a disinformation campaign targeted at an election in a state.

Agreed To

Actions (41)

Show Only Major Actions

10/28/2019

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

10/23/2019

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

10/23/2019

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 227 - 181 (Roll no. 583).

10/23/2019

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 227 - 181 (Roll no. 583).

10/23/2019

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 182 - 225 (Roll no. 582).

10/23/2019

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes on the Rodney Davis (IL) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to strike subsection (b) of section 1 and all that follows and insert the text of the bill entitled the "Honest Elections Act".

10/23/2019

Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on House Administration. (text: CR H8439-8440)

10/23/2019

The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

10/23/2019

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

10/23/2019

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 4617.

10/23/2019

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the Lesko amendment, which was debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Spanberger amendment No. 14.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cunningham amendment No. 13.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cunningham amendment No. 12.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sherrill amendment No. 11.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Slotkin amendment No. 10.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Houlahan amendment No. 9.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Delgado amendment No. 8.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Brown (MD) amendment No. 7.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Swalwell (CA) amendment No. 6.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Langevin amendment No. 5.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Levin (MI) amendment No. 4.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lynch amendment No. 3.

10/23/2019

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Lesko amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment, and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Lesko demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lesko amendment No. 2.

10/23/2019

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 650, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the DeSaulnier amendment No. 1.

10/23/2019

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 4617.

10/23/2019

The Speaker designated the Honorable Henry Cuellar to act as Chairman of the Committee.

10/23/2019

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 650 and Rule XVIII.

10/23/2019

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4617 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit with or without instructions allowed.

10/23/2019

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 650. (consideration: CR H8410-8442)

10/23/2019

Rule H. Res. 650 passed House.

10/22/2019

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 650 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4617 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit with or without instructions allowed.

10/21/2019

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 196.

10/21/2019

Committee on the Judiciary discharged.

10/21/2019

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 116-246, Part I.

10/16/2019

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 6 - 1.

10/16/2019

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

10/08/2019

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.

10/08/2019

Introduced in House

Public Record

Record Updated

Nov 1, 2022 1:49:42 PM