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As our deep-dive policy series continues during the August district work period, I’d like to provide clarity on a topic that has dominated debate in Congress this year: election integrity.
Elections are the bedrock of our democracy and voting is one of the most important responsibilities we have as Americans to make our voices heard on the policies that shape the trajectory of our nation. Our right to vote is enshrined in our Constitution and it is imperative that we take steps to ensure our elections operate with the utmost standard of security and integrity.
The primary pieces of legislation regarding election integrity you’ve likely heard about are the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and the SAVE America Act.
Current federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. However, adequate safeguards and federal guidance have not been established for states to prevent non-citizens from voting. The SAVE Act and SAVE America Act address this gap.
As a cosponsor of the SAVE Act, I was proud to support its House passage in April 2025. The SAVE Act requires potential voters to provide proof of their American citizenship when they register to vote with an eligible form of identification, including, but not limited to, a REAL ID, a valid passport, or birth certificate.
In February of this year, the House also passed the SAVE America Act with my support. This bill not only includes the SAVE Act’s proof-of-citizenship provisions, but it also adds a requirement for voters to provide photo identification when they cast their ballot. In addition, both bills give states the tools to remove non-citizens from their voter rolls.
Producing an ID to cast a ballot is a commonsense rule that an overwhelming majority of Americans support. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of Americans support a voter photo ID requirement. This is nothing new to the Natural State. Arkansas is a national leader in highly secure elections by implementing measures such as requiring identification to cast a ballot. I am proud of the work our state officials have done in this area, and I hope Washington can follow their lead.
Alarmists have also stirred up anxiety that married women or people who have changed their name would be blocked from casting their vote due to SAVE Act and the SAVE America Act provisions. However, both pieces of legislation direct states to establish a process to address discrepancies, ensuring that these individuals can carry out their civic duty at the ballot box.
While the House has passed the SAVE Act and the SAVE America Act multiple times, the legislation remains stalled in the Senate because it has failed to achieve the 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster.
Some of my colleagues in both the House and Senate have called for eliminating the filibuster to move the bills forward. However, there is not enough support in the Senate to do so—and for good reason. While eliminating the filibuster may sound enticing, I equate it to opening Pandora’s Box. The filibuster is the primary procedural tool available to a minority party to slow or block legislation. Shifting majorities in Congress are inevitable, and when Republicans someday lose control of the Senate, we’ll be grateful to have the filibuster to protect the nation from misguided policy.
As Republican leadership in the Senate continues to look for ways to pass the SAVE America Act, they have considered inserting the bill into a budget reconciliation package which does not require breaking a filibuster with 60 votes. However, this approach has largely been unsuccessful due to the Byrd Rule which limits what can be included in a budget reconciliation bill.
Despite these challenges and partisan games, I remain committed to ensuring that our elections are secure, fair, and free from any interference. The right to vote is sacred. Many Americans have given their lives to preserve it and pass it on to future generations. We now have the responsibility to honor their sacrifice with safeguards to protect our elections and our nation. |