No evidence? Don't vote.
That is, proof of citizenship.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana held a conference call with Republican House members on Wednesday, just days before the House of Representatives reconvenes for the first time since late July. Johnson advocated for the House to adopt a stopgap spending bill through the first quarter of next year to avoid a government shutdown on October 1. But House Republicans are attaching to the bill the so-called SAVE Act, which stands for the Protect American Voter Eligibility Act. The bill, adopted by the House in July, would require people to show proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
All Republicans voted in favor of it two months ago, and five Democrats voted in favor.
It's back to school again on Capitol Hill
“If you're here illegally and interfering with an election, you should be handcuffed, not given an 'I Voted' sticker,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, said during the debate.
The House Freedom Caucus has proposed a stopgap spending bill/citizenship voting plan to the Speaker. First, some conservatives believe there are a lot of people voting illegally in the United States. That's why they want to stop that. Second, there are concerns that local governments, such as Oakland, California, currently allow non-citizens to vote for school boards and city councils. The Freedom Caucus is concerned that there are no proper guardrails to prevent these people from voting for federal office. Third, Republicans believe the SAVE Act would be a good campaign issue, according to FOX. It puts Democrats in a bind as Republicans put together a narrative about the impact of the border crisis. Fourth, former President Trump is pressuring Republicans to take this approach.
(Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“President Trump wants to see us pick a fight,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. “Every Republican supports this. The only people standing in the way of common sense measures that would ensure every American can vote in American elections are Democrats.”
The move also benefits Johnson, who faced criticism from the right in the spring for not handling spending bills the way they wanted. The voting tactic would therefore bolster his efforts to stifle opposition. The approach would unite Republicans and strengthen his speaker position, while also putting pressure on Democrats.
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Conservatives typically baulk at one-time spending bills, especially long-term ones, but would likely oppose one that would stretch through 2025. They are betting on Republicans keeping the House, taking control of the Senate and returning former President Trump to the White House — three things that would allow Republicans to put their stamp on a spending bill sooner.
If Congress approves a stopgap spending bill this month and then bundles other spending bills into a single omnibus bill in November or December, President Biden and the Democratic-controlled Senate will have accomplished their spending priorities through Sept. 30, 2025. But a stopgap bill that simply renews all current budgets until early next year would give Democrats less leverage. That scenario gives Republicans and Trump the opportunity to give their own approval to spending sooner.
But the plan must first pass the House of Representatives.
Republicans hope to score political points if the five Democrats who previously voted for the SAVE Act vote against it this time, allowing Republicans to use their votes against vulnerable Democrats in the fall elections.
But not all Republicans will go along with this plan. Some Republicans automatically vote against all stopgap spending bills. It's a math problem. So it's unclear whether this game plan will garner the votes.
But if the combined bill passes the House, the Democratic-controlled Senate would likely repeal the SAVE Act and send a shorter stopgap spending bill back to the House. Many Senate Democrats, and some Republicans, are not on board with the Freedom Caucus version.
“This is a solution in search of a problem. There is no evidence that illegal immigrants vote,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona. “The problem doesn't exist, and they're creating new systems and requirements where there seems to be no need for them.”
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The onus then falls on the House to get in line with the Senate by the September 30th deadline.
That would leave Johnson with a crucial decision: stick to his guns and shut down the government with control of the House of Representatives hanging by a thread just weeks before the election, or accept the Senate's position and pass the bill jointly with Democrats and Republicans. In fact, the House may advance the spending bill with more Democrats than Republicans, which could infuriate the right and reignite Johnson's domestic political troubles.
“We need to have a backup plan,” one House Republican leader said. “We have a tendency to pick fights we can't win.”
So let's say the Civil Rights/2025 spending plan fails in Congress. That would force Republicans to accept the Senate's position no matter what, or face a government shutdown. That would be especially difficult for Republicans if they couldn't approve any bills.
The House will meet for four days next week, then four more the following week, with a final pre-election session being the five-day week of September 22. But the House could miss the final week of September if Congress funds the government and a shutdown scenario is thwarted.
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Many Republicans are eager to get out of Washington early to campaign. When asked about the possibility of the House leaving early, a House Republican leader said it was “highly likely.” So some Republicans may be willing to do whatever it takes to get out of Washington early and campaign.
Or, more likely, some Republicans will yell that the House isn't “fighting for conservatives” or “not supporting former President Trump enough” over the spending plan, but privately will be ecstatic to accept a short-term spending plan that will last into late fall if it means their original plan falls through and they can go home and campaign a week earlier than planned.
The last thing Republicans need right before the election is a government shutdown. Republican fundraising is down. Control of the House of Representatives hinges on just a handful of races. With the House, Senate, and White House all at stake, spending time fighting in Washington over government spending is not a politically wise move.
