WASHINGTON—Heritage Action, a conservative grassroots organization with two million activists nationwide, sent a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Administration yesterday in support of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 8281). The legislation, which would require states to ask for proof of citizenship when registering voters, will be considered by the committee today.
As Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker explained in the letter to Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Joe Morelle (R-N.Y.):
“It is undeniable that the current structure makes it possible for illegal immigrants and noncitizens to vote—and the American people have no way of knowing how widespread the problem may be. The SAVE Act puts all of these issues to rest and gives Americans confidence that our elections are decided on a more even playing field. In a crucial election year, voters’ faith in the security and integrity of our system is essential for our republic.”
The SAVE Act was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and currently has 67 cosponsors in the House.
Walker’s full letter to committee leaders can be found here and pasted below:
Chairman Bryan Steil
Ranking Member Joe Morelle
U.S. House Committee on Administration
1309 Longworth House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Chairman Steil and Ranking Member Morelle:
The right to vote is one of Americans’ most sacred privileges—making the integrity of our elections an issue of paramount importance for our government. On behalf of Heritage Action’s millions of grassroots members, I write to offer our full support for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 8281).
Providing proof of identity and citizenship to vote is an uncontroversial position with bipartisan support that should not be remotely difficult to endorse as a member of Congress. More than 70% of Americans oppose proposals around the country to give noncitizens the right to vote. At the same time, voter ID laws are one of the most unifying policies amongst Americans today, with more than 80% supporting proof of identity at the ballot box.
Critics of this widely-supported legislation flippantly claim that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. While this is true, it is currently legal for states to give noncitizens IDs, automatically register voters with no proof of citizenship, and/or hold elections with zero identification requirements. Meanwhile, millions upon millions of people have illegally entered the country because of the current administration’s failure to secure our borders. It is undeniable that the current structure makes it possible for illegal immigrants and noncitizens to vote—and the American people have no way of knowing how widespread the problem may be.
The SAVE Act puts all of these issues to rest and gives Americans confidence that our elections are decided on a more even playing field. In a crucial election year, voters’ faith in the security and integrity of our system is essential for our republic.
We urge you to support the SAVE Act—a unifying bill that protects the rights of all Americans.
Ryan Walker
Executive Vice President
Heritage Action
BACKGROUND:
The Heritage Foundation: Ensuring That Only Citizens Vote in U.S. Elections
The Heritage Foundation: Voter ID Laws Are Popular for Good Reasons
The Heritage Foundation: Another Study Refutes Left’s False Claims Against Voter ID and Secure Elections
The Heritage Foundation: Voter Fraud Database