Senate Rejects Voter ID Amendment to $70B Immigration Funding Bill
The Senate voted 48-50 against attaching the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act to a nearly $70 billion budget reconciliation package. Four Republican senators joined Democrats to defeat the measure on Thursday night.
ibtimes.co.ukThe Senate defeated an amendment that would have added voter identification and citizenship verification requirements to a nearly $70 billion budget reconciliation package aimed at funding immigration enforcement. The vote was 48-50. Four Republican senators joined all Democrats in opposing the measure.
Amendment Details The amendment, offered by Sen.
The bill would require proof of citizenship for voter registration. The package itself is designed to provide resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations.
Republican Position Sen.
Lindsey Graham argued that voter ID requirements prevent noncitizen voting. "There's no other reason to say you don't have to have an ID. It just makes cheating easier," he said. He also linked the measure to restrictions on transgender participation in girls' sports and medical transitions for minors.
Democratic Response Sen.
, said current safeguards already make noncitizen voting unlawful. He described the amendment as an attempt to take over elections and restrict mail voting. Padilla also criticized the timing of the transgender provisions during Pride Month. This marks the second time Republicans have attempted to attach the voter eligibility measure to the reconciliation package and failed to reach the 60-vote threshold required for passage.
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