Representative Chrissy Houlahan introduces H.R. 10497: Protect Our Polls Act

We have received text from H.R. 10497: Protect Our Polls Act. This bill was received on 2026-09-17, and currently has 7 cosponsors.

Here is a short summary of the bill:

This bill would add new federal rules about using troops or armed federal personnel at polling places during elections. It would also make changes to how election records are protected and how federal money can be used in relation to those records.

Use of troops or armed persons at polling places

Under current law, sending troops or armed persons to polling places is generally illegal, with a narrow exception for repelling “armed enemies of the United States.” This bill would keep that basic rule, but add a new process that makes such a deployment subject to direct congressional approval.

If the federal government wanted to send troops or armed personnel, including federal law enforcement officers, to a place where an election is being held under that narrow exception, the agency in charge would first have to give Congress an unclassified report at least 48 hours in advance. That report would need to explain:

• how many personnel would be sent and what units they come from,
• what they would do and how long they would stay,
• the intelligence supporting the claim that armed enemies are threatening the area,
• the exact area and locations involved,
• the legal authority being used,
• the training those personnel have for interacting with civilians, and
• why state and local forces cannot handle the situation themselves.

If Congress is not in session when that report is sent, the bill would require congressional leaders to consider calling Congress back, and federal officials would then have to provide a classified briefing to both chambers.

The bill would also require Congress to pass a joint resolution before any such deployment could happen. It creates an expedited review process so committees and both chambers would have to act quickly, with short deadlines for committee action and floor votes.

Changes to election record protections

The bill would also amend the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which deals with preserving election-related records. It would change the statute so that federal armed forces and executive agencies could not receive funds for the purpose of sending troops or armed persons to access election records that are required to be retained and preserved.

At the same time, it makes clear that nothing in this section should be read to stop qualified members of the armed forces or executive branch personnel from voting in the district where they are eligible to vote.

These election-record provisions would expire on January 20, 2029.

Practical effect

In practice, the bill would make it much harder for the executive branch to place federal troops or armed personnel at polling places, even under the existing narrow legal exception, because Congress would have to approve such a deployment first. It would also impose reporting, briefing, and fast-track voting requirements before that could happen.

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Representative Chrissy Houlahan Bill Proposals

Here are some bills which have recently been proposed by Representative Chrissy Houlahan:

• H.R.10497: Protect Our Polls Act
• H.R.10316: National Housing Emergency Act of 2026
• H.R.8792: Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act
• H.R.8751: Servicemember Civilian Transition Support Act
• H.R.8545: Access to Donor Milk Act of 2026
• H.R.8175: To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

You can track bills proposed by Representative Chrissy Houlahan on Investivoq's politician page for Houlahan.

Representative Chrissy Houlahan Net Worth

Investivoq estimates that Representative Chrissy Houlahan is worth $2.9M, as of October 8th, 2026. This is the 236th highest net worth in Congress, per our live estimates.

Houlahan has approximately $0 invested in publicly traded assets which Investivoq is able to track live.

You can track Representative Chrissy Houlahan's net worth on Investivoq's politician page for Houlahan.

2026 Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District Election

There has been approximately $2,439,318 of spending in Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district elections over the last two years, per our estimates.

The rating for this race is currently "Solid D".

You can track this election on our matchup page for the 2026 Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district election.

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