Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., told Newsmax his Democratic counterparts in Congress are going to be surprised when they realize that voting against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act actually works against them.
"I try to point out to them how ridiculous this one — one of the greatest freedoms we have in this country, one of the greatest responsibilities we have in this country is to elect our leaders," he told "America Right Now."
"And, you know, I can't vote in Mexico. We can't vote in Venezuela or anywhere else. Why would we allow them to vote in our elections?"
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
Carter said the move by Democrats is a reflection of "where their priorities are."
"The root of the problem is they're trying to get these voters in here in order to vote," he said.
"And, you know, I think they're going to be sadly surprised, because I think that a lot of these people understand that what this administration and what the Democrats are trying to give them is what they're trying to escape. And that's socialism."
People must confirm under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens when they register to vote.
Voting by noncitizens is prohibited in federal elections and is not allowed in any state election, although a handful of municipalities allow it in limited circumstances. While illegal voting by noncitizens is extremely rare, the possibility that it could happen on a wider scale because of the influx of migrants at the southern border has become a theme of Republican campaign messaging this year.
In Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson is seeking to link an extension of federal government spending authority to a proposal requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship when registering people to vote.
Congress needs to approve a stopgap spending bill before the Sept. 30 end of the budget year to avoid a government shutdown. At the urging of some Republicans, Johnson is seeking to combine a six-month extension of government spending with a measure requiring proof of citizenship, such as birth certificate or passport, to register to vote.
The plan is similar to the SAVE Act, which Republicans pushed earlier this year. That legislation passed the Republican-led House in July largely along partisan lines but has not come to a vote in the Democratic-led Senate.
Carter said he plans to avoid a government shutdown.
"Explain to me how someone, whether it be a Republican or Democrat, doesn't want to assure that we have election integrity in this country. If the Democrats are going to shut down the government as a result of the SAVE Act, then we know where their priorities are and their priorities are certainly out of line," he said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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