The GOP-led House on Wednesday passed the SAVE America Act, a broad ballot measure backed by President Donald Trump. The legislation passed by a vote of 218–213, with all Republicans supporting it and nearly all Democrats opposed. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was the only Democrat to vote for the bill, according to NBC News.
What is the SAVE America Act?
A report from the Bipartisan Policy Center states that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act requires individuals to provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote.
Although Democrats and Republicans agree that only eligible citizens should participate in federal elections, cases where citizens register to vote are rare.
The center notes that the SAVE Act would introduce an additional paperwork requirement to the existing standard: the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 already expressly prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.
The 32-page bill would require states to personally collect written proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, before registering an individual to vote in federal elections.
The legislation, updated from a previous version to include additional provisions requested by Trump, would also require voters to present a photo ID when voting in person. It also imposes new requirements for voting by mail and directs voters to provide a copy of an approved ID both when applying to vote and when casting an absentee ballot.
what next
Introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the legislation now heads to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain. Although Republicans hold 53 seats, several members of the party have expressed skepticism or outright opposition to the measure.
Even if the bill secures a simple Senate majority, it cannot reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster because Democrats strongly oppose it.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the measure, saying it would “impose Jim Crow laws on the entire country and is dead on arrival in the Senate.”
Meanwhile, voting experts have warned that more than 20 million eligible US citizens lack readily available proof of citizenship, and nearly half of Americans do not own a US passport.
“Election day is fast approaching,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, adding, “Imposing new federal requirements now that states are deep in their preparations would negatively impact election integrity by forcing election officials to adhere to new policies likely without the necessary resources.”