Coercion by means of relief appropriations
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever uses any part of any appropriation made by Congress for work relief, relief, or for increasing employment by providing loans and grants for public-works projects, or exercises or administers any authority conferred by any Appropriation Act for the purpose of interfering with, restraining, or coercing any individual in the exercise of his right to vote at any election, shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 721 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to use federal relief or public-works money, or power given by such funding laws, to interfere with or pressure anyone in exercising the right to vote.