{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-mfume-porter-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-transparency-of-mail-in-ballots", "Reps. Mfume, Porter, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Transparency of Mail-in Ballots", "2023-09-21", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Kweisi Mfume", "M000687", "mfume.house.gov", "mfume", "https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Reps. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Katie Porter (D-CA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase transparency of mail-in ballots. The Vote By Mail Tracking Act would require ballots to include tracking barcodes and an official logo to certify authenticity.\n\n\u201cVoting is the cornerstone of our democracy so we must doggedly protect every step of the voting process. This common-sense legislation adds another safeguard to the increasingly efficient and effective mail-in balloting process. I am proud to co-lead this legislation which will help ensure mail-in ballots are properly delivered and counted in future elections,\u201d said Rep. Mfume.\n\n\u201cImproving efficiency and transparency in our elections is good for all Americans,\u201d said Rep. Porter. \u201cMy bipartisan bill would add tracking barcodes to mail-in ballot envelopes, helping the Postal Service process votes and giving voters the ability to see that their ballots are securely delivered and counted.\u201d\n\nThe Vote by Mail Tracking Act would help voters track their ballots and have confidence that election officials counted their vote. Under this bill, each mail-in ballot envelope must:\n\nContain a United States Postal Service (USPS) barcode;\n\nMeet USPS design requirements and standards for machinable letters; and\n\nInclude an Official Election Mail logo.\n\n\u201cAmericans\u2019 faith in our electoral system is foundational to our democracy, and we must do everything possible to restore and maintain confidence in that institution,\u201d said Rep. Fitzpatrick. \u201cOur bipartisan legislation will ensure that every mail-in ballot is up to USPS\u2019s standards, able to be tracked, and marked as official election mail. I am proud to lead this initiative to further guarantee the integrity of all our elections.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe need to make voting more accessible for the American public,\u201d said Rep. Connolly. \u201cAs more people choose to vote absentee by mail, this simple measure will ensure all ballots are trackable and every valid vote is counted.\u201d\n\n\"Arizona has been a leader in vote by mail for decades and I am proud to help introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure voters have more peace of mind that their vote is secure,\u201d said Rep. Ciscomani. \u201cPromoting trust in our institutions and elections among the American people relies on openness and clarity. This legislation provides commonsense updates to ensure USPS has a transparent and streamlined process for mail-in ballots.\u201d\n\nRead the bill text HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mfume.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-mfume-porter-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-transparency-of-mail-in-ballots"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3025198131799698, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}