STEADFAST Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Introduced
Summary
Would shift federal election financing from a presidential public-financing model to a state-focused grant program for election security. The bill would end the taxpayer-funded presidential campaign funds and create an on-budget Election Security Fund run by the Election Assistance Commission to pay States for upgrades like verifiable paper ballots, voting equipment, cybersecurity, and secure poll books.
Show full summary
- States would apply to the Election Assistance Commission for grants and must certify they prohibit noncitizen voting and report publicly on how they spent funds. Payments are calculated by each State’s share of registered voters.
- Grants could be used to buy or modernize voting equipment, print paper ballots with security features, protect electronic poll books, and fund cybersecurity and physical security for voting systems. Priority goes to States that use verifiable paper trails, strong photo ID rules, and federal verification tools like SAVE and the Social Security Number Verification Service.
- Taxpayers could designate income tax payments to the new Election Security Fund beginning for tax years ending after December 31, 2025, and administrative costs from the Fund would be capped at 5%.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
New Election Security Fund and Grants
This bill would create a new Election Security Fund at the Treasury and require the EAC to run a grant program to pay States for securing federal elections. Money that taxpayers designate and remaining balances from terminated presidential funds would be transferred into the Fund. The Fund amounts for States would be available without a fiscal-year time limit, and the EAC could use up to 5% of the Fund each year for administrative costs. Each State's annual share would be the Fund amount for States times the State's share of registered federal voters.
End of Presidential Public Financing
This bill would terminate the statutes that fund presidential public financing and the presidential primary matching account on enactment. After enactment, those chapters would no longer apply to any presidential election, nominating convention, or candidate. Remaining balances from those accounts would be transferred to the new Election Security Fund.
Rules on Uses and Certified Vendors
This bill would limit how States may spend Election Security Fund money. States could use funds to buy or upgrade voting machines, pay for cybersecurity, secure storage, print paper ballots with security features, and protect electronic poll books. The bill would bar use of funds for litigation or most training (training is allowed only to teach use of election equipment). States could hire vendors only if the EAC certifies them, and the EAC could not certify vendors that directly gave funds to a State or local government to support federal election administration.
State Application and Priority Rules
This bill would make States apply to the EAC with a spending plan and certify they do not allow noncitizens to vote in any public office election to be eligible for payments. States would have to report to the EAC and post online how they spent the money and whether they followed their approved plan. The EAC would give priority to States that use voter-verifiable paper ballots for audits, use available verification tools to prevent noncitizen registration or voting (which may include SAVE and Social Security verification), and require specified photo ID at polling places. The EAC must post public program information and a qualified vendor list on set timelines (vendor list within 90 days and a public hyperlink within 180 days of enactment of the referenced Act).
Tax checkoff to Election Security Fund
This bill would change the tax return designation so amounts individuals check on their returns go to the Election Security Fund instead of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. The change would apply to taxable years ending after December 31, 2025. The tax form would also have to include a citation to the EAC's public website hyperlink about the Fund and designation process.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
OK • R
Cosponsors
Lee (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
NJ • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Mills
FL • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov