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Lawmaker urges Senate to pass SAVE Act requiring proof of citizenship to vote
Summary
A lawmaker told the Senate the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act should require proof of citizenship for federal voting, citing two town-hall polls and Louisiana practice and urging colleagues to allow debate and back the bill when it reaches the floor.
A lawmaker urged the United States Senate on the floor to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, saying proof of citizenship should be required to vote in federal elections and asserting the measure has broad public support.
The lawmaker read a passage he attributed to Samuel Adams from an 1781 Boston Gazette piece, saying, “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts,” and urged colleagues to treat voting as a sacred civic duty that justifies verification of eligibility.
He told the chamber he held two telephone town halls in Louisiana and reported that 83% of participants supported the SAVE Act, with, he said, “71% of Democrats, 95% of Republicans.” He identified himself as a co-sponsor and gave the bill’s name as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.
To make his point about feasibility, the lawmaker cited state practice in Louisiana, saying voters there must show identification and that the requirement has not been an obstacle. He drew analogies to other settings that require identification, saying voters are already accustomed to presenting ID for air travel and credentials at political conventions.
He criticized Senate Democrats for opposing the measure, saying they were ignoring constituent preferences and suggesting they were doing so to “appease a small left-wing base.” He also said he has supported restoring the talking filibuster to permit fuller debate on proposals, stating, “Let’s see the proposal. Let’s look at it. We can debate the proposal and then get it done.”
The lawmaker argued that requiring proof of citizenship would not take away anyone’s constitutional right but would “strengthen trust in our system” by ensuring only citizens participate in federal elections. He closed by urging his Senate Democratic colleagues to support the bill when it comes up for a vote next week and called on the chamber to “Pass the Save America Act.”
No formal motion or vote on the SAVE Act is recorded in this transcript; the remarks are an appeal ahead of an announced upcoming floor vote.
