Washington, March 12 Lawmakers debated on Thursday over a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote, with Democrats warning that it could restrict millions of voters and Republicans insisting that it would protect election integrity.
The debate centered on the proposed "Save America Act," a bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship and photo identification to register to vote in federal elections.
Democratic Senator Richard J. Durbin, the committee's ranking member, warned that the legislation could prevent millions of eligible Americans from voting because of strict documentation requirements.
"It is estimated that 9 per cent of the voters in America do not have the identification required by this bill," Durbin said. "This means that those people will not be voting, and I think that is the ultimate goal of this administration."
Durbin argued that widely used identification, such as a driver's license, would not be sufficient under the proposed rules.
"What is acceptable is a passport," he said. "50 per cent of Americans do not have a passport; those who want to obtain it so they can vote will pay $186 and wait three or four weeks for that to happen."
He also said that voters who changed their names after marriage or other circumstances could face additional hurdles because they would need documents linking their current name to their birth records.
Republican lawmakers defended the bill, saying it was intended to ensure that only U.S. citizens participate in federal elections.
Senator Mike Lee said the legislation includes provisions for people who cannot locate official documents, such as birth certificates or passports.
"When you read the bill, what you'll discover is that we've made special accommodation for those who don't have documentation," Lee said.
"If you don't have documentation establishing the information on your birth certificate or what would be in a passport or otherwise, the bill contains a provision requiring each state to allow an alternative mechanism by which someone can, by attestation, issue a sworn statement."
Lee said state authorities would then verify the information using official records.
"It then puts the onus on the state to follow up on that and to determine the authenticity of it," he said.
Lee added that lawmakers had tried to ensure that "no American would be left in the dark" and that citizens would not be excluded from voting because of missing paperwork.
Durbin countered that cases of non-citizens voting in U.S. elections have historically been extremely rare.
"This is such a scourge on the American political scene that in the last 20 years there have been 24 identified cases of non-Americans trying to vote," he said.