The SAVE America Act responds to a long-overlooked Supreme Court ruling that blocks states from verifying citizenship when people register via driver’s license applications under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Observing that the NVRA doesn’t explicitly authorize states to verify citizenship in this context, the Court concluded (wrongly, but conclusively) that states are prohibited from doing so. Only Congress can fix this problem. Most members of Congress agree that we must do so.
Existing law bans noncitizen voting, but preventing it is nearly impossible without documentation. The SAVE America Act would make it hard to cheat, but still easy to vote. It’s not about “disenfranchising” anyone; it’s about ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.
Requiring proof of citizenship to register and photo ID to vote is basic common sense.
We require documentation proving our identity and eligibility to board planes, buy alcohol, receive welfare, cash checks, buy firearms, buy hunting and fishing licenses, pick up tickets, and participate in many political activities (e.g., you can’t get into the Democratic National Convention without proving your identity and eligibility to participate). Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, requires photo ID at his campaign rallies. Similar restrictions apply to attend large-scale gatherings of every imaginable variety—from labor-union conventions to the Oscars, the Grammys, and the Super Bowl. Even though many of these activities are legally (and in some cases constitutionally) protected, documentation verifying identity and eligibility is required because when someone falsely claims as their own that which isn’t rightfully theirs, it can seriously harm others and undermine their rights.
I can’t imagine why we would protect our sacred right to vote any less seriously.
Noncitizen voting isn’t “vanishingly rare” as some on the far left have suggested; it's a real threat with documented cases nationwide. Even one illegal vote undermines legitimacy.
The SAVE America Act would standardize secure processes to prevent fraud (especially mail-in ballots), and analogous efforts in states like Florida have proven that strict rules can boost voter turnout without issues.
Many Democrat lawmakers oppose it because they benefit from lax systems. This is sad, since polls show that roughly 83% of Americans—including 71% of Democrats—support photo ID and proof of citizenship, cutting across party, race, region, and gender lines.
I'm proud to co-lead this with President Trump, Congressman Chip Roy, and our colleagues. With the House having passed it, the Senate must act to protect elections ahead of 2026.
All Americans deserve secure votes, not a free-for-all at the ballot box.
