House Passes Bill Requiring Proof Of US Citizenship For Voter Registration
A bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday that requires proof of citizenship before a person can register to vote. According to USA Today , voting rights experts have said the measure from the GOP…
A bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday that requires Proof of citizenship before a person can register to vote.
According to USA Today, voting rights experts have said the measure from the GOP representatives will make it more difficult for Americans to vote. However, there have been long-standing concerns around voter fraud due to non-citizens voting in federal elections, which prompted the move.
The bill, named the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, was passed by a vote of 220-208, mostly along party lines, and would require potential voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship by either a passport or a birth certificate before they can register.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month to require Proof of citizenship to register to vote. Currently, a person has to sign an attestation stating they are a citizen when they register, and it is already illegal for a non-citizen to vote, but states have the power to decide how they enforce voter laws.
Republicans had the support of four Democrats, and the bill will still need to make its way through the U.S. Senate. Republicans also control the chamber by 53-47 but will need a minimum of seven Democrats to cross the 60-vote threshold and pass it into law.