House passes bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote
The bill, which must still pass the Senate, requires states to ensure that their voter rolls consist of Americans only.
File image of a polling place.
With unanimous Republican backing and a handful of unpredictable Democrats, the House of Representatives passed a bill to require proof of citizenship in federal elections with 220 to 208 votes.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or SAVE Act requires that applications for inclusion on the voter registry be accompanied by documents attesting to the applicant's US citizenship.
Enforcers would be the states, who would also be required to review their voter rolls to remove non-citizens, if any. If they fail to comply, they could face criminal penalties.
"There’s nothing more sacred under the Constitution than ensuring that the people are able to have the voice in the election of the people that represent them," Chip Roy, the bill's author, said before the vote. "Once that is undermined, then people lose faith in the very institutions upon which this is built."
"We must make it easy to vote and hard to cheat," said Senator Mike Lee after celebrating the House decision. Lee, who introduced the SAVE Act in the Upper House, assured that the half-sanction meant "one step closer to secure elections." "Democrats are not happy."
Four Democrats, however, voted for the bill: Ed Case, Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. The latter asserted that being against the non-citizen vote is just "common sense" in the district she represents, but she was skeptical about her chances in the other chamber:
"I also understand the SAVE Act stands no chance of passage in the Senate due to the filibuster, as well as several deeply flawed provisions."
The rule passed the House last year, but was ignored by the Democratic-majority Senate. Although in the minority this time, the Blues could debate it to death. Opponents of the rule say it is a Republican attempt to suppress votes and seeks to ban a practice that is already illegal.
Some Republicans, such as Mike Kelly, who voted for the bill, point out that even if the latter is true, "democrat-led cities have allowed non-citizens to vote in municipal elections." "American citizens — and only American citizens — should decide American elections."
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