Bill That Would Ensure Only U.S. Citizens Can Vote Passes House Despite Opposition from Nearly Every Democrat
House Republicans and five Democrats passed legislation Wednesday that strengthens existing federal election law allowing only U.S. citizens to vote.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act passed the chamber 221 to 198, with no GOP House member voting against the bill.
The legislation, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, had 104 Republicans co-sponsors, including Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota and GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York.
The changes the bill calls for are requiring “states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity — in person — when registering an individual to vote in a Federal election,” according to a one-page summary prepared by Roy’s House office.
The legislation also, “Requires states to establish a program to remove non-citizens from their existing voter rolls and gives states no-cost access to Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases to do so.”
Further it, “Empowers citizens to bring civil suits against election officials that fail to uphold proof of citizenship requirements for Federal elections by expanding the [National Voter Registration Act’s] existing private right of action, and adds penalties for election officials that register non-citizens to vote in Federal elections.”
🚨 BREAKING: Almost every single Democrat just voted to *protect* the ability of illegal aliens to vote in our elections. pic.twitter.com/MBuXqoCn4U
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 10, 2024
President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the SAVE Act, if it were passed by the Senate and reached his desk, The Hill reported.
The White House said in a Monday statement ahead of the vote, “It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Federal Elections — it is a federal crime punishable by prison and fines.”
Additionally, “States already have effective safeguards in place to verify voters’ eligibility and maintain the accuracy of voter rolls.”
The administration argued that the bill would “make it much harder for eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated at a news conference Tuesday that the record influx of millions of migrants under Biden administration’s border policies makes the SAVE Act all the more important.
“Many of the Democrats want all of these illegals to participate in our federal elections. They want them to vote. There’s no other conclusion that you can draw,” the speaker said.
“It’s a serious problem, and we cannot allow a federal election to be jeopardized by people who can run into the local welfare office, sign up for taxpayer benefits and check a box that says, ‘I’m a citizen and I want to vote.’ This is common sense legislation,” he added.
Democrats have tried to mislead the American people about our efforts to prevent noncitizens from voting.
Why? Because they want illegals to vote in our elections.
We must protect American elections by passing @chiproytx‘s SAVE Act. pic.twitter.com/aKiI6Ldi6Q
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 9, 2024
Johnson told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Wednesday following the vote that Republicans believe as many as 16 million illegal immigrants have come into the country, including so-called “got-a-ways.”
When migrants sign up for government benefits, all they have to do is “check a box, ‘Are you a U.S. citizen?'” And they’re registered to vote, the speaker said.
President Biden has opened our border, allowing millions of illegal aliens to enter.
Today, 198 Democrats voted to allow illegals to decide American elections. pic.twitter.com/tc5LXulcwt
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 11, 2024
He explained, “Currently, under federal law, believe it or not, the way the courts have interpreted it [county registrars] can’t ask for proof [of citizenship], so everybody can fill out this form fraudulently, and that’s a serious problem.”
Trump backed the the House bill saying in Truth Social post on Tuesday, “Republicans must pass the Save Act, or go home and cry yourself to sleep. Non citizen Illegal Migrants are getting the right to vote, being pushed by crooked Democrat Politicians who are not being stopped by an equally dishonest Justice Department.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
