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.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters this week the bill is “further enforcement” and noted that if a teen wants to buy alcohol, they need ID.
“Democrats say it’s already illegal to vote as a (non-)citizen, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need further enforcement,” Johnson said. “We don’t rely on the integrity of teenagers trying to purchase a six-pack at the liquor store, right? We require them to provide ID to prove they’re old enough to make that purchase.”
Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, wrote a letter to Congress Monday to oppose the measure, arguing that “millions” would be unable to get hold of the documents needed.
“More than 21 million American citizens do not have their passport or birth certificate readily available. Only about half of American adults have a passport, and millions lack easy access to a paper copy of their birth certificate,” Waldman said.
Helen Butler, executive director of the nonpartisan Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, called it “another attempt at voter suppression.”
“It’s just an undue burden for nothing because there isn’t a problem with non-citizens voting,” Butler said. “I think it’s all in trying to turn back the clock just so that people aren’t able to vote when they’re eligible to vote. They’re trying to prevent as many people from not voting by putting such rules in place, but they’re also hurting their own voters.”
