House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called on the Democrat-led Senate to take up and pass the SAVE Act, which ensures that only U.S. citizens vote in elections by requiring proof of citizenship.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act in early May. The legislation was passed by the House last month.
"There are few things more important to our country than ensuring the integrity of our elections. The people rightfully demand it, and Congress has a duty to act," Johnson said in an X post that promoted his Fox News opinion column. "The House passed the SAVE Act. The Senate must do the same."
In his Monday column, Johnson wrote that voter fraud presently "is very real."
"In nearly all 50 states today — including every major electoral battleground state — a noncitizen can walk into a DMV or welfare office, fill out a federal voter registration form, claim they are a U.S. citizen, and be registered to vote," Johnson wrote.
"That noncitizen can then cast a ballot and help decide the direction of America."
Johnson said "a current loophole in the National Voter Registration Act" prevents states from requesting proof of citizenship.
The SAVE Act would "close that dangerous loophole":
- Requires state election officials to request proof of citizenship for every person registering to vote and gives the state officials easy access to federal databases so they can confirm citizenship status.
- Requires state officials to clean up their voter rolls and directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to determine whether to conduct removal proceedings of any illegal alien who has registered unlawfully.
- Allows state officials to accept a wide variety of documents for registrants to prove citizenship and requires states to establish an alternative process for Americans who have misplaced their documentation.
- Requires DHS to notify a state chief election official whenever an individual has been naturalized to ensure newest citizens can exercise their right to vote.
Johnson said polling shows that 89% of Americans support the "common-sense provisions," including 82% of Democrats, 80% of Black voters, and 78% of Hispanic voters.
"In light of all this, one would expect overwhelmingly bipartisan support for the SAVE Act in Congress. But Democrat leaders put on a full-court press to discourage their members from supporting our bill, and the White House issued a veto threat," Johnson said. "The Democrats' opposition to this simple election integrity bill is indefensible and exposes their intention to allow illegal aliens to vote."