U.S. House Republicans launch fight over non-citizen voting in bill
WASHINGTON — As Congress emerged from a five-week recess, House Republicans on Monday tacked on a provision — already illegal — to a stopgap appropriations bill that would ban noncitizens from voting in federal elections. The bill has created a battle with the Senate and white people.
Republican push in Congress echoes push by state lawmakers ballot measure Non-citizens will be banned from voting this November idahoIowa, kentucky, missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, south carolina and Wisconsin.
This also comes at the height of the presidential campaign, with Republican presidential candidate Trump Repeated calls for mass deportationsThe Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, will face the issue of undocumented immigrants in a key debate Tuesday night.
Current federal government spending is set to expire on October 1, so Congress must pass a continuing resolution (CR) to approve temporary spending after that date or risk a government shutdown.
A measure requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections was passed in July by U.S. House Republicans and some vulnerable Democrats, and House Republicans have added it to the CR, which would extend the spending until March 28. The House of Representatives will vote this week.
The White House vowed on Monday that President Joe Biden would veto the measure if Congress passed it in that form.
“Rather than meeting the nation’s security and disaster needs, this bill contains irrelevant, cynical legislation that will do nothing to secure our elections and will instead make it more difficult for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase The risk of eligible voters being voted out. said in a statementon Monday. “It’s already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections — it’s a federal crime punishable by jail time and fines.”
Senate objected
Such voting language would be impossible among Senate Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the Senate.
“As we have said time and time again, averting a government shutdown requires bipartisanship, not one drafted by one party,” Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patty Murray of Washington said in a joint statement Friday. bill.
They continued: “If Speaker Johnson pushes House Republicans down this highly partisan path, the likelihood of a government shutdown will increase dramatically, and Americans will know that the responsibility for a shutdown will fall on House Republicans. “
Democrats argue the bill is an attempt to sow distrust in U.S. elections ahead of the November election.
Louisiana House Speaker Mike Johnson highlights non-citizen voting in federal elections as a problem despite study finding This happens rarely.
“As the 2024 elections approach, Congress must do everything it can to protect the integrity of our nation’s election system,” he said in a statement.
The bill also has Trump’s support.
In April, while Johnson was at Trump’s official residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Announcing that the House of Representatives will pass a bill regarding non-citizen voting. The former president often falsely blamed the large number of undocumented people who voted for his 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton, as the reason he lost the popular vote.
Other Democrats opposed passing a CR that would last until next year.
House Appropriations Committee Democratic leader Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut criticized the six-month measure because it “hurts veterans by delaying their benefits until March.” , jeopardizing their care”.
“The resolution, which runs through the end of March, gives Republicans more leverage to force unpopular cuts to the services that American families rely on to make ends meet,” she said in a statement.
Texas congressman leads bill
original non-citizen voting bill, HR8281, It was originally proposed by Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. it Pass 221-198five Democrats voted with Republicans, but the Senate deadlocked.
The five Democrats who voted for the measure were: Maine Rep. Jared Golden, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, North Carolina Rep. Donald Davis, Dirk Rep. Vincent Gonzalez of Sask. and Rep. Mary Grusenkamp-Perez of Washington.
Under current U.S. law, only citizens can vote in federal elections, but National Voter Registration Act Countries were banned from confirming citizenship in 1993.
In addition to the ballot measure, hundreds of Republican state lawmakers signed write a letter The One Citizens Vote Coalition is urging Congress to pass legislation that would prohibit non-citizens from voting in federal elections.
The Sole Referendum coalition includes election denial activists, organizations led by former Trump aides and anti-immigration groups. Its founder is Cletta Mitchell, Key figures trying to overturn the 2020 presidential electionA grassroots organization is now operating to actively monitor the November election.
Five of eight states — Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin — have ballot measures on the ballot, with state lawmakers moving to put the question on the ballot bill, and the letter was signed by “Only the Citizens”.
