The House of Representatives has passed the so-called SAVE America Act, legislation that would require Americans to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill now heads to the Senate for a vote next week.

Under the House-passed bill, eligible voters would have to present documents such as a U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate, or naturalization papers when they register.

The SAVE America Act is part of a broader set of related proposals introduced in the 119th Congress, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act. Collectively, these are being referred to as the “SAVE Act suite of bills.”

Related proposals in the SAVE Act suite would go further by requiring proof of citizenship at the polls and mandating absentee ballots to be received by Election Day.

Why this matters

More than 21.3 million eligible voters either do not have documentary proof of citizenship or do not have easy access to it.

Obtaining these documents can involve cost and time. For example:

• A certified birth certificate averages about $50
  
• A passport can cost between $30 and $160

Additional expenses may include transportation, replacing lost documents, or securing name-change records.

For people navigating housing instability, low wages, unreliable transportation, or limited access to government offices, these requirements could make registering or staying registered significantly more difficult.

What it could mean for election offices

Analysis of the MEGA Act states that it would create new criminal liability for registering someone to vote who does not provide documentary proof of citizenship. It would also allow the Department of Justice and private citizens to sue election officials over compliance with the new requirements.

Who could face the greatest barriers

It is already illegal for noncitizens to register or vote in federal or state elections.

These proposals would add new documentation requirements for eligible voters, including:

• People impacted by incarceration, poverty, housing instability, and systemic exclusion
  
• Military families who move frequently
  
• Families who have lost documents due to natural disasters
  
• Married women and others whose documents do not match their current name
  
• Communities that already face higher barriers to accessing official records

Take action

Tell your Senators to oppose the SAVE Act suite of bills using the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice action form here:

We will continue sharing updates as this legislation moves forward.