Speech #1090172818

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker. as we continue debate over immigration and border security. it is important to remember the security of the ballot box. Most importantly. we need to uphold the concept of the citizen voter. which is the foundation. of course. of our democracy. Voting in our democratic government needs to be preserved for United States citizens to protect the legitimacy of the voting process as well as the interests of the United States. One of the first bills I introduced. Mr. Speaker. as a Member of Congress. was the Voter Verification Act to address concerns about noncitizens voting and reaffirm that only United States citizens have the right to vote. The Voter Verification Act simply stated that before voting in a Federal election. a citizen has to provide proof of citizenship. Whether the proof of citizenship is a birth certificate. a passport or a drivers license from a State that limits drivers licenses to citizens. the important point is to make sure our election workers are checking credentials before allowing people to vote.