Press Releases

“This order is a blatant power grab intended to exert control over our electorate and limit who has a political voice.”

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement in response to a sweeping executive action signed by President Trump on Tuesday to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.

“This week, President Trump launched another attack on American democracy and faith in free and fair elections, issuing an unconstitutional executive order that would disenfranchise millions of American citizens, making it more difficult for many to vote, and needlessly disrupting state election systems. 

“The White House measure would put the federal government in charge of Pennsylvania’s elections — something the Constitution forbids. It targets mail-in voting and imposes politically driven directives on what is supposed to be the bipartisan, independent Election Assistance Commission. The executive order would set new rules for voting equipment and give Elon Musk the ability to access state voter rolls, another shocking violation of Americans’ privacy. States that refuse to comply with the illegal order would lose significant funding designed to improve election security.  

“The President and his right-wing allies are using a propaganda smokescreen to sow distrust about the integrity of our elections and justify this extreme measure. In reality, our elections are very secure, and Pennsylvania is vigilant in enforcing its election laws and auditing elections. This order is a blatant power grab intended to exert control over our electorate and limit who has a political voice. The proponents of these alleged reforms want to ensure a government that’s not for all the people but for only some people. It’s the absolute antithesis of the promise of America. 

“This executive order and Congressional Republican efforts like the SAVE Act won’t prevent noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections – because they don’t. Every reliable study ever done on noncitizen voting has determined it’s vanishingly rare. But by imposing extra registration requirements, which have been proven to exclude eligible voters, this order and the SAVE Act will stop American citizens from voting, and that’s unacceptable. Married women, students, seniors, and low-income voters will all find it more difficult to vote, and may be denied their right to vote.  

“Our history – our quest for a more perfect union – has always been about expanding opportunity and civic participation. In doing so, we’ve sought to make our country more representative, more fair – more perfect. As a government, we should always protect people's freedom to vote, not rip it away. The American people deserve better than being lectured on the sanctity of our elections by a man who refused to accept his loss in the 2020 election and incited a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol - and our Constitution.”

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