Photo: Alamy
The Republican-controlled House approved the SAVE America Act on Wednesday, advancing a sweeping election measure backed by Donald Trump.
The vote was 218-213. All Republicans voted in favor, along with Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone Democrat to support the bill.
The 32-page proposal would require states to obtain documentary proof of citizenship in person, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, before registering someone to vote in a federal election. It would also mandate photo identification for in-person voting and require voters to submit a copy of an eligible ID when requesting and returning a mail-in ballot.
“It’s just common sense. Americans need an ID to drive, to open a bank account, to buy cold medicine, to file government assistance,” Speaker Mike Johnson said. “So why would voting be any different than that?”
Democrats strongly opposed the bill, arguing it is unnecessary. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., criticized the legislation, NBC News reported.
“This is a desperate effort by Republicans to distract,” Jeffries said. “The so-called SAVE Act is not about voter identification, it is about voter suppression. And they have zero credibility on this issue.”
Republicans point to polling showing broad public support for voter ID requirements. A survey by Pew Research Center last August found that 83 percent of U.S. adults favor requiring government-issued photo identification to vote.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Mike Lee, now heads to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain. Republicans hold 53 seats but would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the bill “dead on arrival in the Senate.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans are having a “robust” discussion about the proposal and intend to bring it to a vote, but acknowledged there are not enough votes to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold.