Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., told Newsmax on Thursday that Senate Democrats are blocking the SAVE America Act because they are unwilling to support basic election safeguards and instead are advancing policies that could allow non-citizens to vote.
Appearing on Newsmax's "National Report," Steil said the bill has broad public backing but faces opposition from what he described as a transformed Democratic Party.
"I think the American public supports this because it's common-sense legislation," he said. "But don't be fooled. This isn't your grandparents' Democratic Party; these are radical Democrats that don't care what the American people think."
Steil emphasized the legislation is narrowly focused and easy to understand, pushing back on claims that it is overly restrictive.
"The bill itself is incredibly simple and straightforward," he said. "It says you need to be a U.S. citizen to vote in U.S. elections, and you prove that at the time you register. And two, you have to show photo identification to prove you are who you say you are."
Steil directly rebutted Democrat claims that the measure would purge voters from registration rolls.
"The comments about kicking people off voter rolls that the Democrats want to make are completely false, because this only applies at a point in time when people are registering to vote," he said.
The congressman argued that some states issuing driver's licenses to illegal migrants have made stronger federal standards necessary.
"California, New York, Illinois are giving out driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. It's why the SAVE [America] Act is all the more important to make sure that only U.S. citizens are registering to vote," Steil said.
He also accused Democrats of obscuring the facts in their criticism of the bill.
"The Democrats are going to try to pump fake and throw shade on this topic," Steil said, adding that some states already distinguish citizenship status on identification documents.
"We know what the Democratic playbook is, of course ... The Democrats want non-citizens to vote," he said. "But the American people and myself believe that you need to be a U.S. citizen to be participating in U.S. elections."
The Wisconsin Republican pointed to razor-thin election margins as proof the issue matters, noting that "House races are often incredibly close" and outcomes can hinge on just a handful of votes.
He urged Americans to pressure the Senate to act, saying the bill has already cleared the House.
Steil called on citizens to contact their U.S. senators "to say, 'Gentlemen and ladies, let's get the job done. Let's bring it to a vote, let's pass this and let's move forward.'"
"It's the reluctance of radical Democrats in the United States Senate ... who are stalling this and preventing it from passing into law," he said.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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