US House passes Save America Act!
Washington, Feb 11 (EFE).-
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the Save America Act, a bill requiring official identification to vote in federal elections and establishing new provisions supporters say are intended to strengthen security and prevent voter fraud.
The bill, which still needs Senate approval, is one of the main initiatives of US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party to prevent what they consider fraudulent practices, which the New York businessman continues to insist affected the 2020 presidential election.
The measure was approved with 218 votes to 213 in the Republican-majority lower house, with Democrat Henry Cuellar of Texas being the only member of his party to vote in favor.
The initiative requires all voters to present a valid photo ID before casting their ballot, and imposes new rules for mail-in voting, requiring voters to include a copy of a valid ID.
Trump’s bill therefore moves forward despite the fact that 37 of the 50 states currently require identification to vote, in addition to the requirement that each person must register beforehand, regardless of whether they vote by mail or in person.
The proposal is part of Trump’s efforts to regulate elections, which, according to the Constitution, are the responsibility of the states.
The Trump administration cited a Pew Research Center poll conducted last August that found 83 percent of American adults supported all voters being required to show a government-issued photo ID to vote.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it faces a difficult path. Despite Republicans controlling 53 seats, the bill needs 60 votes to pass.
Furthermore, some Republican senators, such as Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, have expressed their opposition to the initiative.
Voting rights advocates have also rejected the proposal, with some accusing the Trump administration and its supporters in Congress of wanting to silence American citizens in the streets and at the ballot box.
According to figures from the center, more than 140 million Americans do not have passports, and more than 69 million married women do not have birth certificates that match their legal names, which would hinder their right to vote. EFE
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