Hagerty Urges Senate to Pass the SAVE America Act, Ensuring Only American Citizens Vote in American Elections

More than 90% of Republicans, 80% of Independents, and over 70% of Democrats support proof-of-citizenship requirements to vote in American elections.

WASHINGTON- Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) urged his colleagues to pass the Save America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote in American elections.

Senator Hagerty argued that the right to cast a vote in American elections belongs to American citizens alone -a principle backed by overwhelming, bipartisan public support. He called on his Democratic colleagues to represent their constituents and pass the legislation without delay.

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. President, the Save America Act answers one simple question: Should non-citizens be able to cast a vote in American elections?

The answer is unequivocally, incontrovertibly "no." Indeed, the right to cast a vote in American elections is something that belongs to American citizens alone.

The American people understand this and agree. More than 90 percent of Republicans, more than 80 percent of Independents, and more than 70 percent of Democrats want proof of citizenship - a valid ID - in order to vote in American elections. Why wouldn't they?

Mr. President, with such a groundswell of support from the American people, it makes me wonder why my colleagues on the other side of the aisle do not support Voter ID.

You must ask yourself: who are they representing? They cannot be representing their constituents.

If they were, they'd be screaming from the rooftops to pass Voter ID into law TODAY. But they are not.

Who is their constituency? Are they illegal immigrants? Someone in a far-off land they have never met? Are they representing some moneyed interest opposed to Voter ID? These are all valid questions, but the bottom line is the opponents of the SAVE America Act are not representing the will of voters - including those of their own party - across this nation.

I can tell you that whether I'm back in Tennessee or here in Washington, I constantly hear from my constituents about the need to pass this piece of legislation. Tennessee requires an ID to vote, and we have the strongest election integrity laws in the United States. We get it.

Tennesseans, like the majority of Americans, understand that every vote cast by an illegal immigrant - or anyone who isn't a citizen - disenfranchises an American.

A vote against this legislation is a dereliction of duty. It is further proof of what many Americans feel about Congress - that the politicians they sent to Washington don't care about their views and cannot be bothered to represent them. That the second we are sworn in and that lapel pin goes on your chest, we forget all about the very people we took a solemn oath to defend, represent, and fight for in our nation's capital.

I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do the very thing they were sent to Washington to do - represent those who sent them here. Vote in favor of the SAVE America Act.

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