Requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections is a "common-sense" safeguard supported by the American people, Rep. Mark Harris said Wednesday on Newsmax, as he accused Senate Democrat leaders of blocking legislation that even many of their own voters favor.
The North Carolina Republican told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" that recent polling shows broad support for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
"If the Democrats don't want it, let them get up and defend why they think that people shouldn't need proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections — and let them speak to why they don't believe people should show a photo ID to prove who they say they are in order to vote in a federal election," Harris said. "This is just common sense, and the American people are for it."
The legislation has already passed the House, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated a vote could come as soon as next week, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called the measure "dead on arrival" in the upper chamber.
Harris said Senate Republicans should be prepared to require Democrats to hold the floor if they attempt to block the bill through a filibuster.
"We are going to, at least, at a very minimum, demand a talking filibuster, which will change the dynamics," Harris said.
As debate over voter ID intensifies, Harris said Schumer’s shift on the issue is troubling, citing comments Schumer made in 1996 supporting anti-fraud measures requiring documentation such as a driver’s license and Social Security card.
"I think it's sad that he has evolved," Harris said. "The Democrat Party of 1996 is certainly not the Democratic Party of today. They have sold out to the far left."
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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