House GOP leaders are gearing up to bring a bill to the floor in July aimed at bolstering protections against noncitizens voting. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, championed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is set to be a focal point of discussion following the upcoming Independence Day recess.
The 22-page memo circulated by Johnson within the House GOP conference highlights the necessity of the SAVE Act, citing 'irrefutable evidence' of illegal voting by noncitizens in U.S. elections. The memo points to the 1993 National Voter Registration Act as a key factor, noting that the current system lacks a requirement for proof of citizenship during voter registration.
Furthermore, the document attributes the surge in illegal voting to the Biden administration's border policies, which have allegedly facilitated the entry of millions of aliens into the country. Recent actions in states like Virginia, Massachusetts, and Ohio to purge noncitizens from voter rolls have also been highlighted in the memo.
Virginia, for instance, removed nearly 1,500 individuals from its voter rolls due to 'non-citizen status,' with a portion of them found to have cast ballots in state elections. Similarly, Massachusetts and Ohio have taken steps to eliminate noncitizens from their voter lists, with Ohio's Secretary of State ordering the removal of over 130 individuals.
Despite Democratic critics arguing that the SAVE Act is redundant given existing laws prohibiting noncitizen voting in federal elections, House Republicans are pushing forward with the legislation. The bill, if passed, would mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections and require states to purge noncitizens from their voter rolls.
While the vote on the SAVE Act is scheduled for July, its prospects in the Democrat-controlled Senate remain uncertain. The timing of the bill's introduction, less than six months before the upcoming presidential election, adds a layer of significance to the debate surrounding voter protections.
House Speaker Johnson emphasized the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, aligning the proposed legislation with global standards that prohibit noncitizen voting. The White House has yet to comment on the impending bill.
