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The Hill, a liberal news outlet, is lamenting that Republican efforts to require proof of citizenship for voting could lead to a government shut-down.
From The Hill: A conservative-backed push for stricter proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting could complicate efforts to avert a government shutdown next month.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have acknowledged a stopgap of some kind, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), will be necessary to keep the government funded past Sept. 30.
But calls are growing among House conservatives to use that must-pass measure to force consideration of a partisan bill aimed at barring noncitizens from voting — laying the groundwork for a clash with the Democratic-led Senate, which would likely reject such a package.
The hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus took an official position this month urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to attach the measure, dubbed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, to spending legislation next month.
Since then, the GOP conference’s right flank has only ramped up public calls for the move, which has also seen some pickup in the upper chamber and among prominent figures such as tech mogul Elon Musk, as the party looks to seize on immigration as a key campaign issue ahead of November.
Axios reported over the weekend that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office has been working behind the scenes to get House conservatives to drop their demands that a short-term funding bill include an immigrant voting crackdown.
A GOP showdown is brewing ahead of the Oct. 1 government funding deadline. Conservatives have shown a willingness to flirt with shutdowns to push their priorities, which McConnell’s team wants to avoid, Axios wrote.
“There isn’t a good argument against attaching the SAVE Act to the September spending bill,” declared Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah.)
Elon Musk asked, “Why isn’t it being attached?”
Lee responded, “Senate GOP leadership opposes the idea, fearing it could lead to (a) a shutdown, and (b) Senate Democrats attaching other priorities Republicans don’t like. Those arguments miss the point: it’s go time, and if we don’t fix this problem now, we might not get another chance.”
Senate GOP leadership opposes the idea, fearing it could lead to (a) a shutdown, and (b) Senate Democrats attaching other priorities Republicans don’t like. Those arguments miss the point: it’s go time, and if we don’t fix this problem now, we might not get another chance.
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 28, 2024
“The SAVE Act must be attached to the spending bill. Failure to do so would not only be malpractice, it could lead to catastrophe. We have 30 million noncitizens in the U.S.—including 10 million who entered illegally with help from the Harris admin. We can’t let them vote,” Lee added.
The SAVE Act must be attached to the spending bill.
Failure to do so would not only be malpractice, it could lead to catastrophe.
We have 30 million noncitizens in the U.S.—including 10 million who entered illegally with help from the Harris admin.
We can’t let them vote.
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 28, 2024
Lee wrote, “Stop noncitizens from voting. Pass the SAVE Act. Attach it to the spending bill in September.”
Stop noncitizens from voting
Pass the SAVE Act
Attach it to the spending bill in September
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 27, 2024
“Americans don’t vote in foreign elections. Noncitizens shouldn’t vote in ours. We need the SAVE ACT — attached to the September spending bill — to stop that from happening. Share if you agree,” Lee wrote in another post on Wednesday.
Americans don’t vote in foreign elections
Noncitizens shouldn’t vote in ours
We need the SAVE ACT — attached to the September spending bill — to stop that from happening
Share if you agree
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 28, 2024
The Daily Signal published a report on Monday noting that most Americans are concerned illegal aliens will definitely be voting in the presidential election.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) wrote, “Radical progressive Democrats WANT this. We need to FORCE Schumer AND McConnell to take up the SAVE Act. Tie it to any spending we send over and tell the Senate we shouldn’t fund a government that doesn’t check citizenship to vote. Period.”
Radical progressive Democrats WANT this.
We need to FORCE Schumer AND McConnell to take up the SAVE Act.
Tie it to any spending we send over and tell the Senate we shouldn’t fund a government that doesn’t check citizenship to vote. Period.https://t.co/GUDGzeU9Mz
— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) August 27, 2024
In response to claims that the problem of illegal aliens voting doesn’t exist, Sen. Lee fired back, “If noncitizen voting doesn’t exist, why oppose the SAVE Act?”
If noncitizen voting doesn’t exist, why oppose the SAVE Act? https://t.co/tUp6ea6Y8M
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 27, 2024
WATCH the video below, from the Nate Friedman Show, of an interview with an illegal alien in New York, who claims that if he is allowed to vote, he will be voting for Kamala Harris.
BREAKING: This illegal migrant in New York City just admitted on video that Democrat officials told him he could vote in the upcoming election. He also said the immigration office gave him a state ID, which he thinks he can show to vote
He said he’ll vote for Kamala over Trump… pic.twitter.com/SzVta0JgK0
— George (@BehizyTweets) August 27, 2024
“Thank you, @SpeakerJohnson, for giving serious consideration to attaching the SAVE Act to the September spending bill. Let’s get this done!” declared Sen. Lee.
Thank you, @SpeakerJohnson, for giving serious consideration to attaching the SAVE Act to the September spending bill.
Let’s get this done!https://t.co/OPArlyiwhS
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 28, 2024
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