Scanlon Votes NO on GOP Voter Suppression Bill
Washington,
April 10, 2025
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement after voting NO on H.R.22, the so-called “SAVE” Act. “Let me be perfectly clear: This is a non-issue. Non-citizens do not vote in US elections. “Under federal law, noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections and could face prison or deportation just for registering. Study after study shows that this is a non-issue. Instead, this bill will suppress the votes of eligible citizens and collectively cost American taxpayers and individuals billions because of the absurd new barriers it creates. “And the consequences of this bill would be very real for Pennsylvanians. The SAVE Act assumes that voters have a version of REAL ID that proves citizenship. Only five states issue that type of REAL ID, and Pennsylvania is not one. So, PA driver licenses alone could no longer be used to register to vote. “The communities that will bear the burden of compliance with the SAVE Act’s onerous requirements will be military voters, married women, rural voters, voters of color, older Americans, and millions of other eligible Americans. “The SAVE Act would require American citizens registering to vote – whether a new registration or updating one based on a move, a party change, or a name change – to provide an election official with a passport, or a license plus a birth certificate with their current legal name, or military service papers, and documentation of any name changes, including married names. Close to 70 million women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name. “Requiring military service members to show their military service record and military ID in person to register to vote not only creates impossible logistical challenges and security risks while deployed, but is incredibly disrespectful to our servicemembers. “Half of Americans do not have passports – and it costs $130 (plus fees) to get one. At a time when the cost of living is already too high, House Republicans are also making voting expensive by requiring millions of citizens to pay the $130 fee to obtain sufficient documentation, which could cost over $19 billion. “Simply put: the so-called ‘SAVE' Act forces American citizens to spend more time and money to register to vote, for no good reason.” ### |
