Rep. Tony Wied said Friday that Congress should move forward with the SAVE America Act, arguing the legislation would help ensure that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections and strengthen confidence in the electoral process.
Speaking on Newsmax's "Bianca Across the Nation," the Wisconsin Republican said lawmakers have a responsibility to carry out what he described as the will of the American people.
"I think we have to do, as members of Congress, we have to do the will of the American people," Wied said. "Over 80% of Americans think that you should be a citizen and have to prove that you're a citizen to vote."
Wied said requiring proof of citizenship would protect the integrity of elections and ensure that legal votes carry their full weight.
"How we can do something in Congress to ensure that only citizens are voting, and quite frankly, that way your vote actually does count, is to make sure that we pass the SAVE America Act and components of it," he said.
Wied expressed confidence that lawmakers would ultimately approve the legislation, despite what is expected to be a busy legislative schedule.
"I do think we will get it done," he said. "We've done some amazing things, I think, over the last year and a half. It's going to be a busy week next week, but this is something that we need to get this done. Americans want us to get this done."
The SAVE America Act, formally known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, would require people registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and present photo identification when voting.
The proposal also directs states to establish procedures to verify citizenship and remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
Federal law already limits voting in federal elections to U.S. citizens. The legislation would add new documentation requirements for voter registration and establish additional verification procedures.
Wied's comments come as Republicans continue to press for election-related legislation ahead of the congressional midterm elections, making the SAVE America Act a key part of the party's legislative agenda.
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