Requiring Voter Id Strengthens Election Integrity

Floor Speech

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Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong opposition to H.R. 1 because it violates the U.S. Constitution. It usurps the rights of States to establish and administer their own elections.

As we speak, Georgia lawmakers are working to make smart and targeted reforms to Georgia's election laws, like picture identification for absentee voting. Such reforms are critically important.

H.R. 1 would not only nullify Georgia lawmakers' efforts, but it would also mandate that all States provide no-excuse absentee voting with absolutely zero safeguards.

I read the bill to see what I needed to do to obtain and cast an absentee ballot under H.R. 1. I was shocked to learn I needed nothing: no witness signature, no picture identification. Nothing is required.

Just tell that to TSA the next time you try to get on an airplane, or to your local gun dealer when you try to buy a gun. In fact, if we are going to eliminate a valid government-issued photo ID for constitutional voting rights, then let's eliminate the need for photo ID to exercise your Second Amendment too.

The hypocrisy by the liberal left to eliminate voter ID is stunning. Trust starts by States taking steps to verify that all votes are legal and cast by eligible voters. That is why we must verify citizenship and require picture identification.

I commend our Georgia lawmakers for strengthening the integrity of our Georgia elections, and I am proud to support those efforts by voting ``no'' on the Federal takeover of elections.

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