InsideGov
Congress · Laws

COCOA Act of 2024

Public Law 118-106 · H.R. 6513 · 118th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Oct 4, 2024 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH-15)

Cosponsors (2): Rep. Joseph Morelle,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 413 yea, 1 nay413–1
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This act provides statutory authority for designated congressional election observers. Designated congressional election observer refers to an employee of the House of Representatives or the Senate who is designated in writing by the chair or ranking minority member of the House Committee on House Administration or the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to gather information with respect to an election, including in the event that the election is contested in the House or the Senate and for other purposes permitted by Article I, Section 5, clause 1 and Article I, Section 4, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution.

The act requires states to provide designated congressional election observers with full access to clearly observe all elements of administration procedures of federal elections, including access to any area in which a ballot is cast, processed, scanned, tabulated, canvassed, recounted, audited, or certified, including during pre- and post-election procedures.

The act prohibits such an observer from handling ballots or election equipment, advocating for a position or candidate, taking any action to reduce ballot secrecy or voter privacy, taking any action to interfere with the ability of a voter to cast a ballot or an election administrator to carry out the administrator's duties, or otherwise interfering with the election administration process.

The act specifies the conduct for which designated congressional election observers may be removed by election officials. In the event of removal, the election official must, within 24 hours of the observer's removal, provide written notice to the chair and ranking minority member of the House Committee on House Administration or the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 118th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 413 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

413 yea1 nay18 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(205)

Republicans who voted yea(208)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1167 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Related bills

4 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 4474Text similarities

    Confirmation Of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2023

  • H.R. 4494Text similarities

    Ensuring Faith in Our Elections Act

  • H.R. 4563Text similarities

    ACE Act

  • H.R. 9779Related bill

    COCOA Act of 2024

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

  1. Oct 4, 2024Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 118-106.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 1, 2024FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 25, 2024Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 1 (Roll no. 449).House roll call 449
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Steil moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  8. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 6513 - "An Act to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to confirm the requirement that States allow access to designated congressional election observers to observe the election administration procedures in congressional elections." (co…
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 6513.
  10. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  11. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 1 (Roll no. 449).House roll call 449
  12. Sep 24, 2024FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  13. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Rules and Administration discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  15. Sep 10, 2024CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  16. Sep 9, 2024FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  17. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  18. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6513.
  19. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  20. FloorFloor · Mr. Steil moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  21. Jan 29, 2024CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 296.
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 118-361.
  23. Nov 30, 2023CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
  26. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

Report a correction

Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 3297SenateSen. Mitch McConnellR-KY· offered Sep 24, 2024Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Sep 24, 2024: Amendment SA 3297 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.