# 119-hr-8858: Protecting American Voters’ Rights Act

119-hr-8858, Protecting American Voters’ Rights Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8858
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8858
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protecting American Voters’ Rights Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Expands private lawsuits against federal election officials.** This bill would add federal election and election enforcement authorities into 42 U.S.C. 1983's scope, creating a private civil pathway for individuals to sue federal actors for constitutional or federal voting-law violations under the existing 1983 framework. - Voters and private plaintiffs would gain a federal route to seek damages or injunctive relief when they allege their voting rights were violated by federal election administrators. - Federal election agencies and enforcement officials would face new exposure to civil suits under 42 U.S.C. 1983, subject to the statute's existing remedies and defenses. - Federal courts would likely see more cases addressing alleged rights deprivations in federal election administration, because 1983 remedies would cover actions taken under federal election authority.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Suing Federal Election Officials Allowed: benefit, medium. This bill would let private people sue federal election officials or election-enforcement agents. It would add "Federal election or election enforcement authority" into 42 U.S.C. 1983's "color of law" rule. If enacted, voters could bring claims for constitutional or federal voting-rights violations…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-8839: Lainie Jones Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-8858 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8858)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3077)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-8839: Lainie Jones Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8839)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8858 (as of 2026-09-21).