The US House passed the SAVE Act on Thursday, April 10 – much to the chagrin of Democrats in both chambers of Congress. While it may sound, at first, like some kind of financial bill, the SAVE Act – or, in long form, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act – would require people to demonstrate citizenship before registering to vote. Congressional Republicans say it is to prevent noncitizens from voting. Congressional Democrats and the left-wing media, however, claim it will disenfranchise millions.
Introduced to the House by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), the legislative package would require two things of would-be voters. First, provide proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. Second, show an ID compliant with the 2005 Real ID law to cast a ballot at polling locations.
The Act passed the House 220 to 208, with four Democrats – Ed Case (HI), Henry Cuellar (TX), Jared Golden (ME), and Marie Gluesenkamp (WA) – siding with nearly all Republicans in approval.
Another Democrat – Donald Norcross of New Jersey – abstained from voting, as did four Republicans: Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Missouri’s Robert F. Onder Jr., and David Valadao of California. The bill moves on to the Senate, where it will need to garner at least some Democratic support to overcome the filibuster and pass.
The stated purpose of the SAVE Act is to prevent noncitizens from voting. But the left-wing media has spun it as an attack on the rights of those for whom acquiring the right ID is just too much bother.
The Center for American Progress ran an article declaring it would disenfranchise millions. “The SAVE Act would require all Americans to prove their citizenship with documentation unavailable to millions,” reads the story’s subtitle. Another article, this one from The New Republic, lays it all out in the title: “Four Democrats Pass Bill Making It Harder for Married Women to Vote.” The clear implications here are that these four Democrats are responsible for the passage of the bill and that married women will suddenly be unable to achieve voter registration.
