House GOP introduce ‘election integrity’ bill
One AmericaJul 05, 2023
House Passes Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote
Above: US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks in May 2024 during a news conference introducing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Image copyright: Kent Nishimura/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The Republican-led US House, along with five Democrats, voted to pass a bill requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. This was against the wishes of the Biden administration, which has argued that laws already prohibit noncitizens from voting.
Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington voted for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Even if the number of illegal votes is currently negligible, this law will further secure US elections. The only reason Democrats are voting against it is that they're counting on noncitizens casting ballots in their favor. Already, Democrats have been allowing these populations to vote in state elections, and it's only a matter of time before they open the door to federal elections.
Democratic narrative
The SAVE Act is nothing but blatant voter suppression, as it has the potential to discourage minority voters from registering. In an effort to rile up their base, Republicans are using this bill to stoke racism and xenophobia, while at the same time scaring potential Democratic voters from exercising their constitutional rights.