---
kind: "section"
citation: "52 U.S.C. § 20904"
title: "52"
title_heading: "Voting and Elections"
number: "20904"
heading: "Authorization of appropriations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/52/20904"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Voting Assistance and Election Administration"
  - "Chapter 209 — Election Administration Improvement"
  - "Subchapter I — Payments to States for Election Administration Improvements and Replacement of Punch Card and Lever Voting Machines"
---

# §20904. Authorization of appropriations

- (a) **In general—** There are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this subchapter $650,000,000, of which—
  - (1) 50 percent shall be for payments under [section 20901 of this title](/usc/52/20901.md); and
  - (2) 50 percent shall be for payments under [section 20902 of this title](/usc/52/20902.md).
- (b) **Continuing availability of funds after appropriation—** Any payment made to a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under this subchapter shall be available to the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) without fiscal year limitation (subject to [subsection (c)(2)(B)](#c-2-B)).
- (c) **Use of returned funds and funds remaining unexpended for requirements payments—**
  - (1) **In general—** The amounts described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) shall be transferred to the [Election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) Assistance Commission (established under subchapter II) and used by the Commission to make requirements payments under subpart 1 of part D of subchapter II.
  - (2) **Amounts described—** The amounts referred to in this paragraph are as follows:
    - (A) Any amounts paid to the Administrator by a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under [section 20902(d)(1) of this title](/usc/52/20902.md?p=d-1).
    - (B) Any amounts appropriated for payments under this subchapter which remain unobligated as of September 1, 2003.
- (d) **Deposit of amounts in State election fund—** When a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) has established an [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) fund described in [section 21004(b) of this title](/usc/52/21004.md?p=b), the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall ensure that any funds provided to the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under this subchapter are deposited and maintained in such fund.
- (e) **Authorization of appropriations for Administrator—** In addition to the amounts authorized under [subsection (a)](#a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator such sums as may be necessary to administer the programs under this subchapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–252, title I, § 104, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1672.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 15304 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.