Thune: Proof of Citizenship and Voter ID Shouldn’t Be Controversial

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune's remarks below (as delivered):

"Mr. President, it's rare for the Senate to be in session on a Sunday.

"Needless to say, the fact that we are here today tells you that what we're doing is important work.

"And that is the SAVE America Act.

"Mr. President, the core of the SAVE America Act is securing American elections.

"And a big way the bill accomplishes that is with two commonsense policies:

"Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, and requiring a photo ID when you go to cast a ballot.

"Polls show that both of these measures have support from a vast majority of the American public.

"In fact, one poll showed that most Americans think you already - already - have to prove you're a citizen in order to register to vote.

"Proof of citizenship is a requirement when you apply for government benefits.

"Proof of citizenship or legal status is required when you go to join the military.

"And every job in this country requires new hires to fill out a Form I-9 proving that they are a citizen or otherwise eligible to work in this country.

"Mr. President, if we expect this of Americans in other aspects of their lives, why shouldn't we expect it when Americans go to register to vote?

"It's just common sense.

"But under current law, you don't need to prove you're actually eligible to vote when you register.

"State efforts to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote have been challenged in court.

"And courts have said that states cannot go beyond the requirements of the standard federal voter registration form created by the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, a form that does not - does not - require voters to prove that they are American citizens.

"The SAVE America Act would fix that by requiring that individuals provide proof of citizenship when they register to vote.

"Mr. President, when it comes to showing photo ID at the polls, not only do most Americans support it, 36 states already require it.

"Red states, blue states, swing states.

"And I suspect that one of the reasons requiring a photo ID seems so commonsense to Americans is because showing a photo ID is something the American people have to do for a whole host of other things in their daily lives.

"If you drive a car, you need to have a license with you.

"If you do an early pick-up at your kid's school, you need to show a photo ID.

"If you want to get a library card, you need a photo ID.

"And Mr. President, as I pointed out the other day, Washington, D.C., requires a photo ID to use a city recreation center.

"But you can vote - you can vote in D.C. - perhaps even in that same rec center that requires an ID to play basketball - without showing an ID.

"Mr. President, that doesn't make any sense.

"Republicans aren't asking for much here.

"We're just asking to make our elections as secure as the local rec center.

"Mr. President, while Democrats have long acted as if requiring a photo ID is some sort of intolerable burden to place on voters, since the SAVE America Act debate began they've spent a lot of time hedging on this issue.

"In fact, on Tuesday, Leader Schumer announced that Democrats now support voter ID.

"And then on Thursday, the junior Republican senator from Ohio - the current presiding officer and a former chief election official in his state - offered a bill to require photo ID to vote.

"That's all it would've done - require a photo ID when you go to the polls.

"Driver's license. Military ID. Tribal ID. Passport.

"And Democrats, Mr. President?

"Democrats blocked it.

"And they more than blocked it.

"Their response was to offer a bill that included - if you can believe this - a nationwide ban on voter ID for absentee ballots.

"That's right.

"Democrats - who now claim to support voter ID - proposed a nationwide ban on voter ID requirements.

"Requirements that already exist in a number of states, including my state of South Dakota.

"Well, Mr. President, if that's Democrats supporting voter ID, I'd hate to see what them opposing it would look like.

"Mr. President, there will be other opportunities in this debate for Democrats to support commonsense voter integrity measures - including voter ID.

"And every Democrat will be put on the record for the American people to see."

Permalink: https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/3/thune-proof-of-citizenship-and-voter-id-shouldn-t-be-controversial