Requires Congress to approve any deployment of troops or armed federal officers at polling places.
This bill would require Congress to give explicit approval before any troops or armed federal officers could be sent to polling places. Currently, federal law allows such deployments only to repel armed enemies, a power that has never been used. This bill would add new steps for federal agencies and Congress to follow, including strict deadlines for reviewing any proposed deployment.
Today, federal law generally bans armed personnel at polls, with a rarely used exception for repelling armed enemies. If this bill passes, any use of that exception would require federal agencies to give Congress at least 48 hours' notice and Congress to pass a specific joint resolution to approve the deployment. Additionally, federal armed forces and Executive agencies would be blocked from using funds to access election records.
S 4845 · 119th Congress · June 18, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 7/10
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