Four Democrats joined all House Republicans on Thursday to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Rep. Chip Roy’s (R-TX) legislation passed the lower chamber in a 220-208 vote, with Reps. Ed Case (D-HI), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) crossing the aisle to help push the election reform bill across the finish line.
“Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election,” the order said.
Roy’s legislation seeks to codify an executive order President Donald Trump issued last month requiring people to provide proof of citizenship to vote in U.S. elections and requiring all ballots be received by Election Day.
The House’s passage of the SAVE Act comes after a Gallup Poll released last year found that 83% of citizens support requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote for the first time.
“Despite the ridiculous attacks and purposeful misinformation spread about the bill, I am pleased to see that the House of Representatives once again passed the SAVE Act on a bipartisan basis to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections,” Roy said in a statement. “In order to preserve this republic, we must uphold what it means to be able to vote in a U.S. election. I am grateful that my colleagues answered the call and passed the SAVE Act, as this serves as a critical first step to ensure that we maintain election integrity throughout our country.”
Trump added that “votes be cast and received by the election date established in law” and that late counted votes are akin to “allowing persons who arrive three days after Election Day, perhaps after a winner has been declared, to vote in person at a former voting precinct, which would be absurd.”
The executive order has met significant opposition from the Left, with 19 Democratic attorneys general filing a lawsuit alleging that expanding voter identification requirements and instituting other election reforms was unconstitutional.
Multiple left-wing groups have also filed lawsuits against the order.
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“Under our Constitution, the President does not dictate election rules. States and Congress do,” one legal complaint from the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Secure Families Initiative, and the Arizona Students’ Association read. It called the order “an attack on the constitutionally mandated checks and balances that keep American elections free and fair.”
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has likewise slammed efforts to institute proof of citizenship requirements, calling Roy’s bill on Monday a “voter suppression bill.” Democrats such as Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) have pointed to election laws already in place and data that show non-citizen voting in elections is rare to argue that the SAVE Act is unnecessary and redundant.