U.S. Republican senators push to tie voter ID bill to government power
WASHINGTON — A handful of U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday called on the Senate to pass a bill to keep the government open that would also require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections to prevent non-citizens from voting in rare and It’s already illegal.
Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama urged the House to adopt The House’s approach was to craft a stopgap government funding bill by adding a measure to prove citizenship.
“We have to make sure we are truly fraud-free,” Scott said.
Senators argued that legislation requiring proof of citizenship was needed because the election was decided by just a few hundred votes.
“Protecting the integrity of our system by requiring proof of citizenship is not controversial. It’s actually common sense,” Marshall said. “Just like we have laws to prevent speeding, we need laws to prevent illegal voting.”
shut down politics
The news conference came hours after U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. Cancel temporary spending bill The bill advanced to a floor vote after several House Republicans expressed objections.
Congress must pass a bill to fund the government by the end of this month to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Scott said Wednesday that he and other speakers did not support shutting down the government over the inclusion of the provision.
“No one here wants to shut down the government,” Scott said.
Lee introduced the Senate version of the House bill, S.4292.
“Look, we all know that elections, especially presidential elections, tend to be decided within a fairly narrow circle, in fact, within a few states and often within a few counties across the country,” Lee said. “It would be foolish for us to leave this vulnerability open.”
Johnson blamed the Biden administration’s immigration policies and claimed the administration was paroling immigrants into the country in order to vote for Democrats.
“I can’t think of any other reason than to bring in a group of people, thank you very much, to encourage them and promote their ability to vote illegally,” Johnson said.
Senate leaders oppose additional appropriations bill
Tuberville, who was sworn into Congress three days before the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, said the legislation is needed so people can have confidence in their elections.
“What will happen if we don’t show the American people that the election was fair and they’re happy with the results, whether the Republicans win or the Democrats win, you in this country, we’re going to pay a heavy price,” he said. “It’s coming, and I’m not so sure it’s not what the Democrats want.”
The election bill passed the House of Representatives in July but has gone nowhere in the Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority.
Democratic Senate leaders also Oppose additional bill government funding, and the White House has said President Joe Biden will veto the measure.
The provision is Endorsed by former President Donald TrumpThe current Republican presidential candidate, he urged congressional Republicans to force a government shutdown if Democrats did not accept Republican inclusion in voting bills.
