Commentary: Straight Talk with Sam

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves R-Missouri

Dear Friend,

The sacred right to vote is one we hold dear as citizens of the United States. If we go to the ballot box, we expect our vote to count. We also expect that it won’t be canceled out by someone voting who isn’t allowed to do so in the first place. Federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting, but somehow, non-citizens keep ending up on our voter rolls.

Many states offer registering to vote when you get a driver’s license. Several of those same states allow illegal immigrants to drive. With millions of illegal immigrants flooding the country before President Trump shut the border down, it’s no wonder they’ve been able to circumvent the law.

Yesterday, the House took a step in the right direction and passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The SAVE Act makes our federal elections secure. Non-citizens shouldn’t be voting in our elections, and the SAVE Act ensures they can’t vote by requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

Some have said that the SAVE Act will stop American citizens from voting. It’s the same old, tired, worn-out line from folks who benefit from fraudulent voting. In fact, the bill provides multiple ways for individuals to prove their citizenship status and register to vote — by showing a passport, government-issued ID that shows they were born in the United States, birth certificate, hospital birth records, adoption decree or other proof. It’s incredibly flexible, well-written and just plain common sense. It makes you wonder why on Earth anyone would oppose this unless they’re somehow benefiting from illegal immigrant votes.

Not only does it prevent non-citizens from getting on the voter rolls, but it also helps remove those already illegally registered to vote. It’s time to get this across the finish line in the Senate, so our sacred right to vote is protected.

On another note, the service academy nomination process is now open! Every year, I have the honor of nominating qualified students to our nation’s military academies. The process is rigorous but rewarding. If you know a student who might be interested, please have them contact my Kansas City office at 816-792-3976 to learn more.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves