FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.

SEC. 583. FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.(a) Federal Voting Assistance Program Improvements.—(1) In general.—The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.), as amended by section 580(a), is amended by inserting after section 103A the following new section:123 STAT. 2328 “SEC. 103B. FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.“(a) Duties.—The Presidential designee shall carry out the following duties:“(1) Develop online portals of information to inform absent uniformed services voters regarding voter registration procedures and absentee ballot procedures to be used by such voters with respect to elections for Federal office.“(2) Establish a program to notify absent uniformed services voters of voter registration information and resources, the availability of the Federal postcard application, and the availability of the Federal write-in absentee ballot on the military Global Network, and shall use the military Global Network to notify absent uniformed services voters of the foregoing 90, 60, and 30 days prior to each election for Federal office.“(b) Clarification Regarding Other Duties and Obligations.—Nothing in this section shall relieve the Presidential designee of their duties and obligations under any directives or regulations issued by the Department of Defense, including the Department of Defense Directive 1000.04 (or any successor directive or regulation) that is not inconsistent or contradictory to the provisions of this section.“(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the Department of Defense (or a successor program) such sums as are necessary for purposes of carrying out this section.” .(2) Conforming amendments.—Section 101 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff), as amended by section 580, is amended—(A) in subparagraph (b)—(i) by striking “and” at the end of paragraph (8);(ii) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (9) and inserting “; and”; and(iii) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:“(10) carry out section 103B with respect to Federal Voting Assistance Program Improvements.”; and(B) by adding at the end the following new subsection:“(d) Authorization of Appropriations for Carrying Out Federal Voting Assistance Program Improvements.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Presidential designee such sums as are necessary for purposes of carrying out subsection (b)(10).”.(3) Effective date.—The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2010 and each succeeding election for Federal office.(b) Voter Registration Assistance for Absent Uniformed Services Voters.—(1) In general.—Chapter 80 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1566 the following new section:“§ 1566a. Voting assistance: voter assistance offices“(a) Designation of Offices on Military Installations as Voter Assistance Offices.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 and under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense under subsection (f), the Secretaries of the military 123 STAT. 2329 departments shall designate offices on installations under their jurisdiction to provide absent uniformed services voters, particularly those individuals described in subsection (b), and their family members with the following:“(1) Information on voter registration procedures and absentee ballot procedures (including the official post card form prescribed under section 101 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff).“(2) Information and assistance, if requested, including access to the Internet where practicable, to register to vote in an election for Federal office.“(3) Information and assistance, if requested, including access to the Internet where practicable, to update the individual’s voter registration information, including instructions for absent uniformed services voters to change their address by submitting the official post card form prescribed under section 101 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to the appropriate State election official.“(4) Information and assistance, if requested, to request an absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.).“(b) Covered Individuals.—The individuals described in this subsection are absent uniformed services voters who—“(1) are undergoing a permanent change of duty station;“(2) are deploying overseas for at least six months;“(3) are returning from an overseas deployment of at least six months; or“(4) otherwise request assistance related to voter registration.“(c) Timing of Provision of Assistance.—The regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense under subsection (f) shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with military necessity, that the assistance provided under subsection (a) is provided to a covered individual described in subsection (b)—“(1) if described in subsection (b)(1), as part of the administrative in-processing of the covered individual upon arrival at the new duty station of the covered individual;“(2) if described in subsection (b)(2), as part of the administrative out-processing of the covered individual in preparation for deployment from the home duty station of the covered individual;“(3) if described in subsection (b)(3), as part of the administrative in-processing of the covered individual upon return to the home duty station of the covered individual; or“(4) if described in subsection (b)(4), at the time the covered individual requests such assistance.“(d) Outreach.—The Secretary of each military department, or the Presidential designee, shall take appropriate actions to inform absent uniformed services voters of the assistance available under subsection (a), including—“(1) the availability of information and voter registration assistance at offices designated under subsection (a); and“(2) the time, location, and manner in which an absent uniformed services voter may utilize such assistance.“(e) Authority To Designate Voting Assistance Offices as Voter Registration Agency on Military Installations.—The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretaries of the 123 STAT. 2330 military departments to designate offices on military installations as voter registration agencies under section 7(a)(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–5(a)(2)) for all purposes of such Act. Any office so designated shall discharge the requirements of this section, under the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense under subsection (f).“(f) Regulations.—The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations relating to the administration of the requirements of this section. The regulations shall be prescribed before the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2010, and shall be implemented for such general election for Federal office and for each succeeding election for Federal office.“(g) Definitions.—In this section:“(1) The term ‘absent uniformed services voter’ has the meaning given that term in section 107(1) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–6(1)).“(2) The term ‘Federal office’ has the meaning given that term in section 107(3) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–6(3)).“(3) The term ‘Presidential designee’ means the official designated by the President under section 101(a) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff(a)).” .(2) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 80 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1566 the following new item: “1566a. Voting assistance: voter assistance offices.”.