Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 294, I call up the bill (H.R. 22) to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known as the SAVE Act, introduced by my colleague, Chip Roy of Texas.

As chairman of the Committee on House Administration, I have been focused on improving election integrity and increasing confidence in our elections.

Let me be clear: Noncitizen voting reduces confidence in our elections. American elections are for American citizens, and we intend to keep it that way.

The SAVE Act will strengthen our elections administration and restore Americans' confidence in our elections. The SAVE Act contains critical reforms to update the National Voter Registration Act which currently requires States to give registration forms to everyone who receives a driver's license, regardless of citizenship.

The bill before us will help States prevent noncitizens from voting in Federal elections by requiring States to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering an individual to vote in Federal elections.

Mr. Speaker, you are sure to hear from my colleagues on the other side that noncitizen voting doesn't exist or that it rarely happens so we don't need to do anything about it. It couldn't be further from the truth.

However, let's look back 2 months ago. The secretaries of state that I had conversations with shared with me their difficulties that they are experiencing in administering the most recent election. Two of their top concerns were about integrity of voter rolls and noncitizen voting.

In a most recent election, we just saw 13 individuals referred by the Michigan Secretary of State to the attorney general for noncitizen voting in the State of Michigan. In the House of Representatives where we often see close elections, we have one Member here who won her election by simply six votes.

It is clear we must pass the SAVE Act and prevent noncitizen voting.

There have also been many other examples of noncitizens voting or being on States' voter rolls. Just a few years ago, Illinois removed almost 600 noncitizens from its voter rolls. In Pennsylvania almost 10,000 noncitizens were removed from their voter rolls. In Georgia an audit recently determined that more than 1,600 noncitizens had attempted to register to vote.

Every State also needs access to the tools necessary to remove noncitizens from their voter rolls. Right now States don't have free access to the Federal data that tracks citizenship status.

Another crucial element of the SAVE Act will provide States with cost-free access to existing Federal and State databases so they can perform this important voter list maintenance.

In recent years we have seen an increasing number of jurisdictions across the country allowing noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. Right here in our Nation's Capital, noncitizens are eligible to vote in these municipal elections. In Washington, D.C., a noncitizen only has to reside in the District for 30 days in order to register to vote.

Mr. Speaker, 388 noncitizens cast ballots here in our Nation's Capital in Washington, D.C., in the most recent election.

By passing the SAVE Act we can ensure that only eligible Americans are registering to vote.

Additionally, the SAVE Act is aligned with President Trump's recent executive order, Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of Elections, which will help restore trust in American elections, enhance our election administration, and make our elections secure.

This legislation is just one step that we can take to ensure President Trump's executive order could not be undone. Americans deserve to have confidence in our elections. We must pass the SAVE Act to prevent noncitizen voting and secure our elections.

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Mr. STEIL. Lee), the chair of the Subcommittee on Elections and the former Florida secretary of state.

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Mr. STEIL. Boebert).

Mr. Speaker, I am hearing from the other side that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote. That is true. It is also illegal to evade Border Patrol and cross the border illegally into the United States of America, but enforcement matters.

We can look at what happens when you don't enforce the law under the Biden administration and what happens when you do enforce the law under the Trump administration.

I think back to when I went home to my hometown in Janesville, Wisconsin, the other day and I went to buy a six-pack of beer. I walked in and the gentlewoman at the desk said: Bryan, good to see you. I went back, grabbed a six-pack of beer, came up, and she said: Bryan, I need to see your ID. I pulled out my ID and handed it to her. She reviewed it. She allowed me to purchase a six-pack of beer.

Am I the only one here that thinks it is absolutely absurd that we protect our beer more than we protect our ballots? This law allows us to make sure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections. Mr. Speaker, it is about enforcement of the law. I ask my colleagues across the aisle: How many noncitizen votes should be okay?

The answer to me and my colleagues on this side of the aisle is zero because every noncitizen that votes in a Federal election in the United States of America cancels out the vote of a U.S. citizen. As we know in this Chamber, very often House races are close. One of our Representatives in this Chamber was elected by simply six votes. One noncitizen voting in a Federal election in the United States is too many, and the arguments I am hearing from my colleagues on the left is that they are okay with noncitizens voting.

It is essential that not only do we have the law but that we enforce the law, and the SAVE Act does just that.

This is my good friend, Chip Roy, from the State of Texas, the author of the bill, who I have been working with to do just that.
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Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

The SAVE Act is clear. Only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections.

Let's summarize the arguments here. My colleagues on this side of the aisle believe that only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections, and we should keep it that way.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle just moments ago said that there is no appreciable illegal voting. Well, how much illegal voting should be allowed in the United States of America? In my opinion, no noncitizens should vote in U.S. elections.

We can go down and look at the data. Illinois had to remove 600 noncitizens from their voter rolls. Pennsylvania had to remove 10,000 noncitizens from their voter rolls. In Georgia, 1,600 noncitizens attempted to register. In our Nation's Capital, where they allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections, this past November, 388 noncitizens voted here in our Nation's Capital in municipal elections.

You will hear the argument from my colleagues across the aisle that it is already illegal to vote if you are a noncitizen in a Federal election. I tell them, as I said earlier, it is already illegal to evade Border Patrol and to come into this country, but Joe Biden was happy not to enforce the law. Millions of illegal immigrants have come into the United States of America.

The National Voter Registration Act, as drafted by this body, if you broke it, you have to fix it. We have to fix the voting laws.

The National Voter Registration Act requires States to give voter registration materials when an individual comes to get a driver's license. In States that give driver's licenses to illegal aliens, like the State of Illinois, just to the south of my home State of Wisconsin, they are handed voter registration materials.

Mr. Speaker, I view that as insane. We should be making sure that only U.S. citizens are voting in U.S. elections. You will hear arguments about it is burdensome.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is absurd that we are protecting beer more than we are protecting ballots. You have to show a photo ID when you go in to buy a six-pack of beer. You should have to go in and show that you are a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. It is just that simple.

I remind my colleagues that we had this debate in this Chamber last Congress. Five Democrats joined us in voting for this bill. In a few moments, we will be voting, Mr. Speaker. It will be darn interesting to see how many Democrats have the courage to come across the line and say ``yes'' to only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections. My colleagues should support this bill.

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