S.1383 — Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act
House Roll Call
S.1383
| Bill | S.1383 — Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act |
|---|---|
| Vote question | On Motion to Commit |
| Vote type | Yea-and-Nay |
| Result | Failed |
| Totals | Yea 214 / Nay 217 / Present 0 / Not Voting 1 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 0 | 217 | 0 | 1 |
| D | 214 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
On Motion to Commit
Bill Analysis
S. 1383 – Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act)
119th Congress
S. 1383 amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) and related federal election laws to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship as a condition of voter registration in federal elections and to strengthen verification, data-sharing, and enforcement mechanisms around voter eligibility.
Core provisions and requirements
- Proof of citizenship to register: Individuals seeking to register to vote in federal elections—whether by mail, in person, at motor vehicle agencies, or other NVRA-designated offices—must provide specified documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship (e.g., U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or other accepted documents).
- State verification duties: States must verify citizenship status for new registrants using available federal and state databases and must reject or place in suspense any application lacking adequate proof.
- Ongoing list maintenance: States are directed to regularly review voter rolls to identify and remove noncitizens, using data from federal immigration and vital records systems where available, consistent with federal privacy and data-use rules.
- Limitations on federal forms: The federal mail-in voter registration form must be revised to require documentary proof of citizenship; states may not accept the federal form for federal elections without such proof.
Agencies, programs, and authorities
- Election administration: State and local election officials bear primary implementation responsibility, including revising registration procedures, training staff, and updating IT systems.
- Federal agencies: Likely increased coordination with DHS (immigration and citizenship records), SSA (identity data), and possibly State (passport records) for verification; the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must update the national mail registration form and related guidance.
- Enforcement: The Department of Justice retains and is reinforced in its authority to bring civil actions to ensure state compliance with NVRA as amended.
Beneficiaries and regulated parties
- Beneficiaries: U.S. citizens eligible to vote in federal elections, through heightened protections against ineligible registration.
- Regulated: State election officials, NVRA-designated voter registration agencies, and prospective registrants, who face stricter documentation and verification standards.
Key timelines
- The bill sets implementation deadlines (e.g., within a defined period after enactment, such as 1–2 years) for states and federal agencies to update forms, procedures, and data-sharing agreements before subsequent federal election cycles.
Yea (214)
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
J
John Garamendi
J
John Mannion
L
Lucy McBath
C
Christian Menefee
E
Eric Swalwell
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Nay (217)
K
Ken Calvert
S
Scott Franklin
L
Lisa McClain
J
John Rutherford
D
David Schweikert
P
Pete Sessions
