WASHINGTON — Rep. Chip Roy on Wednesday introduced legislation that would add new requirements for voter registration and voting in federal elections, while also joining a separate Supreme Court filing supporting Donald Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship.
Election legislation
Roy and Sen. Mike Lee announced the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act,” or SAVE America Act, described as a revised version of their earlier SAVE Act.
The proposal would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and to require voters to present an eligible photo identification document when casting ballots in federal contests.
The bill outlines several forms of acceptable documentation, including certain REAL ID-compliant identification, a valid U.S. passport, military records and other government-issued photo identification paired with supporting documents such as certified birth certificates or naturalization certificates.
It also directs states to verify citizenship status during registration, establish processes for reviewing discrepancies and remove individuals from voter rolls upon receipt of documentation or verified information showing a registrant is not a U.S. citizen.
Roy and Lee said the legislation is intended to strengthen election security and ensure that only U.S. citizens participate in federal elections.
In announcing the bill, they cited concerns about noncitizens obtaining driver’s licenses or other benefits in some states and argued that additional safeguards are needed, though federal law already limits voting in federal elections to U.S. citizens.
Birthright citizenship filing In a separate announcement, Roy and Sen. Eric Schmitt said they filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of Trump’s executive order addressing birthright citizenship and urging the court to adopt what they described as the original meaning of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
According to the lawmakers, the brief argues that birthright citizenship should apply only to individuals born in the United States to parents who permanently and lawfully reside in the country.
The filing cites historical records, congressional debate and prior court decisions, including the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, in support of that interpretation.
The actions reflect continued Republican efforts to advance proposals and legal arguments related to election administration and immigration policy, two issues expected to remain central in national debates heading into upcoming federal elections.
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