The Protect Our Polls Act would require explicit approval from Congress before federal troops or armed law enforcement officers can be deployed to polling places. Currently, federal law has banned armed personnel at polls for over 150 years, with a narrow exception allowing troops only to repel armed enemies of the United States, though this exception has never been used. Under this bill, any agency seeking to deploy troops to polling places would have to notify congressional leadership at least 48 hours in advance with detailed information about the threat, the number of personnel, and why state and local forces cannot handle the situation. Congress would then have a limited timeframe to pass a joint resolution authorizing the deployment, with the Senate and House each having specific windows to debate and vote on the measure. The bill also adds protections preventing federal forces from accessing election records without authorization and clarifies that military personnel can still vote. The provisions related to election records would expire on January 20, 2029.