H.R. 11 · 118th Congress

Freedom to Vote Act

Introduced on Jul 18, 2023 by John P. Sarbanes (D-MD-3). 217 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Latest action (Dec 17, 2024): Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Stage
Introduced
Introduced
Jul 18, 2023
Cosponsors
217
0 from the other party
Policy area
Government Operations and Politics
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. 2Reported by committee
  3. 3Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To expand Americans' access to the ballot box and reduce the influence of big money in politics, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Accounting and auditing
  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Adult day care
  • Aging
  • Assault and harassment offenses
  • Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
  • Buy American requirements
  • Child care and development
  • Citizenship and naturalization
  • Civil actions and liability
  • Commemorative events and holidays
  • Computer security and identity theft
  • Computers and information technology
  • Congressional districts and representation
  • Congressional elections
  • Congressional oversight
  • Constitution and constitutional amendments
  • Consumer credit
  • Corporate finance and management
  • Correctional facilities and imprisonment
  • Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
  • Criminal justice information and records
  • Criminal procedure and sentencing
  • Department of the Treasury
  • Digital media
  • Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
  • Disability and health-based discrimination
  • Disability and paralysis
  • Disability assistance
  • Domestic violence and child abuse
  • Due process and equal protection
  • Election Assistance Commission
  • Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
  • Employment and training programs
  • Executive agency funding and structure
  • Family relationships
  • Federal Election Commission (FEC)
  • Federal district courts
  • Food industry and services
  • Foreign language and bilingual programs
  • Fraud offenses and financial crimes
  • Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
  • Government information and archives
  • Government lending and loan guarantees
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Government trust funds
  • Guam
  • Health care costs and insurance
  • Health care coverage and access
  • House of Representatives
  • Housing and community development funding
  • Housing finance and home ownership
  • Intergovernmental relations
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  • Internet, web applications, social media
  • Judges
  • Judicial procedure and administration
  • Judicial review and appeals
  • Jurisdiction and venue
  • Labor-management relations
  • Landlord and tenant
  • Law enforcement administration and funding
  • Lawyers and legal services
  • Legal fees and court costs
  • Licensing and registrations
  • Low- and moderate-income housing
  • Manufacturing
  • Members of Congress
  • Military personnel and dependents
  • News media and reporting
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Political advertising
  • Political parties and affiliation
  • Political representation
  • Postal service
  • Public contracts and procurement
  • Public housing
  • Public participation and lobbying
  • Racial and ethnic relations
  • Right of privacy
  • Rural conditions and development
  • Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
  • State and local government operations
  • Subversive activities
  • Supreme Court
  • Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
  • Tax-exempt organizations
  • Telephone and wireless communication
  • U.S. Sentencing Commission
  • U.S. and foreign investments
  • U.S. territories and protectorates
  • User charges and fees
  • Virgin Islands
  • Voting rights

Summary

The Congressional Research Service has not summarized this measure yet.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

John P. SarbanesD-MD-3Sponsor

Democrats · 217

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

No recorded roll call on this measure: it moved by voice vote or unanimous consent, or has not reached the floor.

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Jul 18, 2023Introduced in House
  2. Jul 18, 2023Introduced in House
  3. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  4. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  5. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  6. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  7. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  8. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  9. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Science, Space, and Technology, Oversight and Accountability, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, and Homeland Security, 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.
  11. Jul 18, 2023 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.
  12. Dec 17, 2024 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights8 reports
    $3.9M reported (all issues)
  2. Advance American Democracy, Inc.5 reports
    $250K reported (all issues)
  3. Campaign Legal Center, Inc.5 reports
    $80K reported (all issues)
  4. Common Cause5 reports
    $150K reported (all issues)
  5. DEMOCRACY 215 reports
    $150K reported (all issues)
  6. Defend the Vote Action Fund5 reports
    $100K reported (all issues)
  7. Democracy SENTRY5 reports
    $205K reported (all issues)
  8. FOX CORPORATION5 reports
    $5.3M reported (all issues)
  9. SPLC ACTION FUND5 reports
    $3.8M reported (all issues)
  10. Southern Policy Law Center, Inc.5 reports
    $100K reported (all issues)
  11. THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK COMMITTEE5 reports
    $1.3M reported (all issues)
  12. TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL U.S. (A PROJECT OF THE FUND FOR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVT)5 reports
    $110K reported (all issues)
  13. Black Voters Matter Fund4 reports
    $180K reported (all issues)
  14. LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, INC4 reports
    $760K reported (all issues)
  15. End Citizens United Action Fund // Let America Vote Action Fund3 reports
  16. Project On Government Oversight3 reports
    $20K reported (all issues)
  17. SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.3 reports
    $3.4M reported (all issues)
  18. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES2 reports
    $1.4M reported (all issues)
  19. Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund2 reports
  20. PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY2 reports
    $60K reported (all issues)
  21. PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND INC.2 reports
    $31.3K reported (all issues)
  22. YWCA USA2 reports
    $368.2K reported (all issues)
  23. Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law1 report
    $40K reported (all issues)
  24. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.1 report
    $140K reported (all issues)
  25. National Council of Jewish Women1 report
    $10K reported (all issues)

Reports filed in 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 9, 2026 · loaded Oct 9, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 9, 2026 · loaded Oct 9, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.