US House Passes SAVE Act Mandating Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration
The U.S. House of Representatives has officially passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a contentious piece of legislation aimed at tightening federal election integrity by requiring documentary proof of United States citizenship for voter registration. The bill, championed by House Republicans and sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), was approved largely along party lines, signaling a renewed GOP focus on election security protocols ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Legislative Details and Requirements
The SAVE Act fundamentally amends the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, often known as the “Motor Voter Law.” Under current federal law, voters are generally required to swear under penalty of perjury that they are citizens when registering, but they are not universally required to present physical documentation of citizenship at that moment. The new legislation shifts this standard, mandating that individuals provide specific documentary proof—such as a valid U.S. passport, a birth certificate, or a highly specific form of enhanced identification—in person at the time of registration.
Crucially, the bill restricts the utility of standard REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses for registration purposes, as these IDs can be issued to non-citizen legal residents and do not definitively prove citizenship status. The legislation also compels states to purge non-citizens from existing voter rolls and establishes criminal penalties for election officials who knowingly register ineligible applicants.
Opposition and Critical Objections
The passage of the bill has drawn sharp condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and voting rights advocacy groups, who argue the measure acts as a “poll tax” by another name. Opponents contend that the strict documentation requirements will disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters who do not have ready access to passports or birth certificates—specifically impacting low-income citizens, the elderly, students, and married women whose current legal names may not match their birth certificates.
Critics further argue that the legislation is a “solution in search of a problem,” noting that it is already a felony for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Research from election audits consistently shows that incidents of non-citizen voting are statistically negligible. The White House has previously expressed strong opposition to the measure, describing it as an attempt to suppress legitimate voter participation under the guise of security.
Background and Legal Context
This vote marks the second time the House has advanced the SAVE Act, following a previous passage in 2025 that stalled in the Senate. The push to pass the bill comes amidst a broader national debate over voting access and election administration. While the bill has cleared the House, it faces a steep uphill battle in the Senate, where Democrats hold enough leverage to block it via filibuster. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has previously characterized such measures as “Jim Crow 2.0,” suggesting the bill is unlikely to be taken up for a final vote in the upper chamber.
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