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119-hr-5407119th Congress
Climate Resilient Elections Act
Sponsored By: Representative Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Introduced
Summary
Strengthening election resilience to climate-driven disasters. This bill would require states that receive its benefits to prepare continuity-of-operations plans and set up a federal grant program to harden voting systems, train staff, and support voters before, during, and after major disasters.
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- States and election officials would have to submit a continuity-of-operations plan by Sept. 30, 2028, update it by Sept. 30, 2033, and at least every five years through 2043, with public posting that avoids personal data or security risks.
- Voters and local election admins would gain grant-funded tools to improve election resilience, including upgrades or replacements of voting equipment, disaster-focused voter education, staff and poll-worker training, COOP development, and toll-free hotlines for voting during disasters.
- Congress would get a GAO (Comptroller General) report by Sept. 30, 2026 analyzing how natural disasters affect voter registration and how federal resources could better support election administration, while the bill expressly bars federal seizure of ballots or voting machines.
*This bill would authorize $20.0 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030, about $100.0 million total, increasing authorized federal spending by that amount.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Grants and plans for disaster-ready elections
The bill would give States grants to strengthen elections against major disasters. It would provide $20 million each year for 2026 through 2030. Grants could pay for training, voter education, hotlines, updating or replacing voting systems, and developing or publishing continuity plans. A State that takes these funds would need to file a continuity of operations plan by September 30, 2028, then update it by September 30, 2033 and at least every five years until 2043. States must keep each plan for five years, and the EAC could publish plans but must remove personal or sensitive security details. Grant money could not pay most litigation costs or any court judgments, and could not be used in ways that violate court orders.
No federal seizure of ballots
The bill would make clear that nothing in it lets the Federal Government seize or hold ballots or voting machines. This would only limit federal authority and would not change how States run elections.
What counts as a covered disaster
The bill would define when a disaster triggers these rules. A “covered major disaster” would be one the President declares during the voting period of a Federal election under the Stafford Act. It would include hurricanes and storms; earthquakes and volcanic events; landslides or mudslides; snowstorms, extreme heat, or drought; any fire, flood, or explosion; and acts of terrorism. The bill would also define “State” by using the Help America Vote Act definition.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
AL • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 8/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov