Scott Denounces Republican Bill to Restrict Voting Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Co-Chair of Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, released the following statement after voting against H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act:

“House Republicans’ so-called SAVE Act is nothing more than a shameful attempt to silence the voices of millions of Americans. This bill will prevent Americans from using their driver’s license or military ID in order to register to vote. It will also eliminate existing voter registration methods, including registering via mail or online. 

“If this bill were to become law, military service members deployed overseas would be forced to return to the U.S. to register to vote. Married women who have changed their surnames would not be allowed to use their birth certificate to prove their citizenship — an apparent reference to his unlawful order revoking birthright citizenship. Twenty-one million eligible voters would need to pay significant fees to obtain documentation needed to cast their ballot.

“Adding unnecessary and expensive barriers to vote will disenfranchise millions of U.S. citizens and disproportionately impact communities of color. To be clear, it is already illegal under federal law for noncitizens to cast a ballot. This legislation is not about safeguarding elections; it is a blatant assault on the constitutional rights of millions of Americans.”

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