“Tomorrow, we are going to give every single Senate Democrat in this chamber the chance to go on the record. They will have the opportunity to show the American people where they stand on common sense requirements for photo ID. This vote is a clear yes or no for Democrat Senators.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today spoke about an amendment to the SAVE America Act, introduced by Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio), that would require voters to present a photo ID at the polls.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“I’ve heard Senate Democrats say that when it comes to voting, they’re open to the requirement of photo ID. Senator Schumer said last week that his Democrat caucus is not opposed ‘to a photo ID when you show up to vote.’
“We now have a pending amendment to the SAVE America Act to do just that. It is a straightforward amendment from Senator Jon Husted of Ohio. It simply requires a photo ID when Americans show up to vote.
“Democrats blocked this very bill on this Floor last week. Then, they offered a counterproposal – a nationwide ban on photo ID requirements. Democrats did this even though 32 states currently require photo ID to vote. Twenty-one Democrats in this very chamber represent states where voter ID is already the law of the land. They live by it. They vote under it. They were elected by it. Why do Democrats believe voter ID is good enough for their home states, but not for our country?
“Tomorrow, we are going to give every single Senate Democrat in this chamber the chance to go on the record. They will have the opportunity to show the American people where they stand on common sense requirements for photo ID.
“This vote is a clear yes or no for Democrat Senators. It does not touch voter rolls. It does not touch mail-in voting. It is a clean, up or down vote on photo ID. This bill offers a broad definition of photo IDs. Voters can use a driver’s license. They can use a state ID. They can use a U.S. passport. They can use a military ID. They can use a tribal ID. These are IDs Americans carry and use every single day to cash a check, to board a plane, and to buy a beer. Asking for a photo ID at the ballot box is common sense and common practice in states all across our country.
“As I said earlier, 36 states require or request an ID to vote. Of these 36 states, 32 states require a photo ID. That’s most of the country. And yes, that includes Democrat states. Of course, we know that many large and liberal states lack voter ID laws entirely. Sanctuary states like California, New York, Oregon, Illinois don’t protect their voter rolls. So once again, we are seeing Democrats angling for illegal immigrants to have an impact on our elections.
“After Democrats allowed 10 million illegal immigrants to flood into our country, the lesson is clear. Illegal immigration undermines and erodes the integrity of our elections. Adding photo ID requirements would be a significant step towards restoring confidence in our elections in all 50 states.
“I want to thank Senator Jon Husted of Ohio. Senator Husted knows about administering elections better than any member of this body. He spent eight years as Ohio’s Secretary of State. His job was to run fair, safe, and secure elections. He succeeded. He succeeded in one of the most closely watched battleground states in America.
“His amendment makes it easy to vote and harder to cheat. And it does so nationwide. A clean, simple photo ID amendment leaves Democrats with no excuses. They cannot claim photo ID is too hard, too confusing, or too burdensome.
“The question before the Senate is: Will Democrats take a reasonable and responsible step towards what most Americans consider common sense.”
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