02/11/2025
HR 22, also known as the SAVE act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) is legislation intended to make it harder to vote. It is primarily about proving your citizenship. Ok, that's fine. But we already have those laws on the books. This will impact over 69 million American women who changed their name to their spouse's. Those women's birth certificates will not show their legal names if they took their spouse's name.
This bill is over broad and will hurt everyday Americans. Most people do not have a passport.
Ladies--stop changing your name!!!! You are no less married if you keep your name. If this bill passes and you took your spouse's name, you better get a new birth certificate if you plan to vote, or get a passport.
Text of Bill to follow:
A BILL
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the âSafeguard American Voter Eligibility Actâ or the âSAVE Actâ.
SEC. 2. Ensuring only citizens are registered to vote in elections for Federal office.
(a) Definition of documentary proof of United States citizenship.âSection 3 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20502) is amendedâ
(1) by striking âAs usedâ and inserting â(a) In general.âAs usedâ; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
â(b) Documentary proof of United States citizenship.âAs used in this Act, the term âdocumentary proof of United States citizenshipâ means, with respect to an applicant for voter registration, any of the following:
â(1) A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States.
â(2) A valid United States passport.
â(3) The applicant's official United States military identification card, together with a United States military record of service showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States.
â(4) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government showing that the applicantâs place of birth was in the United States.
â(5) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government other than an identification described in paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented together with one or more of the following:
â(A) A certified birth certificate issued by a State, a unit of local government in a State, or a Tribal government whichâ
â(i) was issued by the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;
â(ii) was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State;
â(iii) includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the applicant;
â(iv) lists the full names of one or both of the parents of the applicant;
â(v) has the signature of an individual who is authorized to sign birth certificates on behalf of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;
â(vi) includes the date that the certificate was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State; and
â(vii) has the seal of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government that issued the birth certificate.
â(B) An extract from a United States hospital Record of Birth created at the time of the applicant's birth which indicates that the applicantâs place of birth was in the United States.
â(C) A final adoption decree showing the applicantâs name and that the applicantâs place of birth was in the United States.
â(D) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a citizen of the United States or a certification of the applicantâs Report of Birth of a United States citizen issued by the Secretary of State.
â(E) A Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security or any other document or method of proof of United States citizenship issued by the Federal government pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act.
â(F) An American Indian Card issued by the Department of Homeland Security with the classification âKICâ.â.
(b) In general.âSection 4 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20503) is amendedâ
(1) in subsection (a), by striking âsubsection (b)â and inserting âsubsection (c)â;
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection:
â(b) Requiring applicants to present documentary proof of United States citizenship.âUnder any method of voter registration in a State, the State shall not accept and process an application to register to vote in an election for Federal office unless the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship with the application.â.
(c) Registration with application for motor vehicle driverâs license.âSection 5 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20504) is amendedâ
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking âEach State motor vehicle driver's license applicationâ and inserting âSubject to the requirements under section 8(j), each State motor vehicle driver's license applicationâ;
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking âEach State shall includeâ and inserting âSubject to the requirements under section 8(j), each State shall includeâ;
(3) in subsection (c)(2)(B)â
(A) in clause (i), by striking âandâ at the end;
(B) in clause (ii), by adding âandâ at the end; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
â(iii) verify that the applicant is a citizen of the United States;â;
(4) in subsection (c)(2)(C)(i), by striking â(including citizenship)â and inserting â, including the requirement that the applicant provides documentary proof of United States citizenshipâ; and
(5) in subsection (c)(2)(D)(iii), by striking â; andâ and inserting the following: â, other than as evidence in a criminal proceeding or immigration proceeding brought against an applicant who knowingly attempts to register to vote and knowingly makes a false declaration under penalty of perjury that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements to register to vote in an election for Federal office; andâ.
(d) Requiring documentary proof of United States citizenship with national mail voter registration form.âSection 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20505) is amendedâ
(1) in subsection (a)(1)â
(A) by striking âEach State shall accept and useâ and inserting âSubject to the requirements under section 8(j), each State shall accept and useâ; and
(B) by striking âFederal Election Commissionâ and inserting âElection Assistance Commissionâ;
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: âThe chief State election official of a State shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that residents of the State are aware of the requirement to provide documentary proof of United States citizenship to register to vote in elections for Federal office in the State.â;
(3) in subsection (c)(1)â
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking âandâ at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting â; andâ; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
â(C) the person did not provide documentary proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote.â; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
â(e) Ensuring proof of United States citizenship.â
â(1) PRESENTING PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP TO ELECTION OFFICIAL.âAn applicant who submits the mail voter registration application form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or a form described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall not be registered to vote in an election for Federal office unlessâ
â(A) the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship in person to the office of the appropriate election official not later than the deadline provided by State law for the receipt of a completed voter registration application for the election; or
â(B) in the case of a State which permits an individual to register to vote in an election for Federal office at a polling place on the day of the election and on any day when voting, including early voting, is permitted for the election, the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship to the appropriate election official at the polling place not later than the date of the election.
â(2) NOTIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT.âUpon receiving an otherwise completed mail voter registration application form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or a form described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a), the appropriate election official shall transmit a notice to the applicant of the requirement to present documentary proof of United States citizenship under this subsection, and shall include in the notice instructions to enable the applicant to meet the requirement.
â(3) ACCESSIBILITY.âEach State shall, in consultation with the Election Assistance Commission, ensure that reasonable accommodations are made to allow an individual with a disability who submits the mail voter registration application form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or a form described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) to present documentary proof of United States citizenship to the appropriate election official.â.
(e) Requirements for voter registration agencies.âSection 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506) is amendedâ
(1) in subsection (a)â
(A) in paragraph (4)(A), by adding at the end the following new clause:
â(iv) Receipt of documentary proof of United States citizenship of each applicant to register to vote in elections for Federal office in the State.â; and
(B) in paragraph (6)â
(i) in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), by striking â(including citizenship)â and inserting â, including the requirement that the applicant provides documentary proof of United States citizenshipâ; and
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:
â(B) ask the applicant the question, âAre you a citizen of the United States?â and if the applicant answers in the affirmative require documentary proof of United States citizenship prior to providing the form under subparagraph (C);â; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting âwho are citizens of the United Statesâ after âfor personsâ.
(f) Requirements with respect to administration of voter registration.âSection 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507) is amendedâ
(1) in subsection (a)â
(A) by striking âIn the administration of voter registrationâ and inserting âSubject to the requirements of subsection (j), in the administration of voter registrationâ; and
(B) in paragraph (3)â
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking âorâ at the end; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
â(D) based on documentary proof or verified information that the registrant is not a United States citizen; or
â(E) the registration otherwise fails to comply with applicable State law;â;
(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (l); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new subsections:
â(j) Ensuring only citizens are registered To vote.â
â(1) IN GENERAL.âNotwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a State may not register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office held in the State unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of United States citizenship.
