United States Senator Bill Hagerty called on his colleagues to pass the Save America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote in American elections, according to a March 18 statement.
The proposed legislation is significant because it addresses concerns about election integrity and aims to ensure that only American citizens participate in federal elections. Hagerty said the measure has broad bipartisan support among voters.
“Mr. President, the Save America Act answers one simple question: Should non-citizens be able to cast a vote in American elections? The answer is unequivocally, incontrovertibly ‘no.’ Indeed, the right to cast a vote in American elections is something that belongs to American citizens alone,” Hagerty said in prepared remarks. He added that “more than 90 percent of Republicans, more than 80 percent of Independents, and more than 70 percent of Democrats want proof of citizenship – a valid ID — in order to vote in American elections. Why wouldn’t they?”
Hagerty questioned why some lawmakers do not support voter identification requirements and urged them to represent their constituents’ views. “Who is their constituency? Are they illegal immigrants? Someone in a far-off land they have never met? Are they representing some moneyed interest opposed to Voter ID? These are all valid questions, but the bottom line is the opponents of the SAVE America Act are not representing the will of voters – including those of their own party — across this nation,” he said.
Hagerty represents Tennessee as U.S. Senator according to the official website. He hails from Sumner County, Tennessee, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout according to the official website. He serves on several Senate committees including Appropriations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Foreign Relations; and Rules and Administration according to the official website. In addition, Hagerty engages in community service through volunteering with civic organizations according to the official website and maintains offices throughout Tennessee as well as Washington D.C. according to the official website.
In his remarks, Hagerty emphasized that Tennesseans support strong election laws: “Tennessee requires an ID to vote, and we have the strongest election integrity laws in the United States. We get it.” He concluded by urging his colleagues: “I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do the very thing they were sent to Washington to do – represent those who sent them here. Vote in favor of the SAVE America Act.”