Cassidy delivered a floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Occurrences
Cassidy ... delivered a floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Senator Bill Cassidy delivered a floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and in coordination with the Commissioner of SSA, shall take appropriate action to compile and transmit to the chief election official of each State a list of individuals confirmed to be United States citizens who will be above the age of 18 at the time of an upcoming Federal election... The State Citizenship List shall be updated and transmitted to State election officials no fewer than 60 days before each regularly scheduled Federal election...
The bill is Florida’s version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a federal bill that requires voters to provide proof of citizenship when they register to vote and present a photo ID when cast their vote at the ballot box.
The House passed the SAVE America Act ( H.R. 7296 ), which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and a photo ID to vote.
On November 20, 2025, Senator Shelley Moore Capito co-sponsored the Citizen Ballot Protection Act, aiming to codify states' ability to require proof of citizenship for mail-in voter registration in federal elections. The bill sought to strengthen election integrity by ensuring only American citizens vote in federal elections.
The SAVE Act would require all applicants using the federal voter registration form to provide documentary proof of citizenship in person at their local election office. Among the acceptable documents are a valid U.S. passport and a government-issued photo ID card presented alongside a certified birth certificate.
If passed, the bill would require noncitizens to be removed from state voter rolls and require new applicants to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
Evidence
On March 21, 2026, Senator Bill Cassidy delivered a floor speech urging the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. He emphasized the bill's broad public support and addressed concerns about documentation by proposing an affidavit option for those lacking physical documents.
On March 31, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled 'Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections.' The order mandates the compilation and transmission of state-specific citizenship lists to assist in verifying voter eligibility and emphasizes the enforcement of existing federal laws prohibiting non-citizen voting.
On April 10, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act, requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. The bill faced opposition from Democrats, who argued it could disenfranchise millions lacking proper documents. The legislation's future in the Senate was uncertain due to Democratic control.
On March 13, 2026, the Florida legislature passed a bill requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship, aligning with the federal SAVE America Act. The bill was sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for approval and, if signed, would take effect on January 1, 2027.
On November 20, 2025, Senator Shelley Moore Capito co-sponsored the Citizen Ballot Protection Act, aiming to codify states' ability to require proof of citizenship for mail-in voter registration in federal elections. The bill sought to strengthen election integrity by ensuring only American citizens vote in federal elections.
On July 10, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. The bill passed largely along party lines and faced opposition from Democrats, who argued existing laws already prohibit non-citizen voting.
On February 17, 2026, the U.S. House passed the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections. Senate Democrats vowed to block the legislation, arguing it could disrupt election administration and disenfranchise eligible voters.
On July 10, 2024, the U.S. House passed a bill requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, a Republican priority despite research showing non-citizen voting is rare. The bill faced strong opposition from Democrats and was unlikely to advance in the Democratic-led Senate.
On March 11, 2026, Senator Bill Cassidy delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor advocating for the passage of the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship when voting in federal elections. He emphasized that the act is supported by over 83% of Americans and criticized Senate Democrats for opposing it.
On March 21, 2026, Senator Cassidy delivered another floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act, as Senate Democrats continued to block the bill. He reiterated the act's support among 71% of Democrats and 95% of Republicans, and addressed concerns about documentation by proposing an affidavit option for those lacking physical documents.
On February 13, 2026, the U.S. House passed the SAVE America Act with a 218-213 vote, mostly along party lines. The bill requires individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote in federal elections. The Senate is considering its own version of the bill.
On April 10, 2025, the House passed the SAVE Act, requiring proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. The bill faced opposition from Democrats, who argued it could disenfranchise millions lacking proper documents. The Senate's prospects for the bill were uncertain.
As of June 3, 2025, despite federal efforts like the SAVE Act, state-level initiatives to require proof of citizenship for voting have faced challenges. Even in Republican-controlled states, such measures have seen little success, indicating skepticism and legal hurdles at the state level.
On April 10, 2025, the House passed legislation requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections, aligning with President Trump's election-related priorities. Democrats opposed the bill, citing risks of disenfranchising millions without proper documents.
On February 17, 2026, the House passed the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and a photo ID to vote. Senate Democrats vowed to block the legislation, arguing it would disrupt election administration and disenfranchise eligible voters.
On February 11, 2026, the U.S. House approved legislation requiring individuals to produce a passport or birth certificate to register to vote in federal elections. The 218-213 vote was mostly along party lines, with one Democrat supporting the measure. The Senate is considering its own version of the bill.
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (Introduced 01/29/2026). Committees: Senate - Rules and Administration. Latest Action: Senate - 01/29/2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced.
Sponsor: Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21] (Introduced 01/30/2026). Committees: House - House Administration. Latest Action: House - 01/30/2026 Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced. The bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
Assessments
The promised federal requirement has not been enacted. The SAVE/SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration, but the Senate bill remains introduced and referred to committee, while House-passed versions have not become law. Cassidy materially advocated for passage through Senate floor speeches, so he made a serious legislative effort. President Trump's executive order on citizenship-verification data and enforcement is related but does not itself establish the promised federal proof-of-citizenship voting requirement, so it does not amount to delivery.
Senator Bill Cassidy strongly advocated for legislation requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, including repeated floor speeches and the introduction of the SAVE America Act. The House passed versions of the bill multiple times from 2024 to 2026, but Senate Democrats consistently blocked the legislation, preventing it from becoming law. An executive order was issued to enhance enforcement of existing laws but did not establish a proof-of-citizenship requirement for voting. Thus, despite considerable legislative effort, the core promise has not been fulfilled.
Senator Cassidy made multiple legislative attempts to require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, including floor speeches and support for the SAVE America Act and similar bills. These measures passed the U.S. House but were consistently blocked or stalled in the Senate, with no resulting federal law implementing proof-of-citizenship requirements for federal elections. Executive actions taken by the President encouraged better enforcement and verification but did not amount to a legal requirement as promised. Therefore, the promise was not delivered, but notable and serious legislative effort was made.