US Senator Jack Reed
https://www.reed.senate.gov
1000 Chapel View Boulevard, Suite 290
Cranston, RI 02920-5602
US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov
170 Westminister Street, Suite 200
Providence, RI 02903
US Representative Gabe Amo
https://amo.house.gov
1070 Main Street, Suite 300
Pawtucket, RI 02860
RI Senator Dawn Euer
sen-euer@rilegislature.gov
Rhode Island State House
82 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02903
RI Representative Alex Finkleman
rep-finlelman@rilegislature.gov
28 Bayberry Road
Jamestown, RI 02835
Jamestown Press Letters to the Editor
news@jamestownpress.com
93 Narragansett Avenue
Jamestown, RI 02835
Introduced in House 01/03/2025
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22
BILL SUMMARY:
This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.
Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.
Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources.
Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.
The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
Please call your leaders in Congress and let them know that this Act would place the burden on every single American citizen to prove their citizenship when registering to vote or updating their voter registration, by either presenting a passport or a birth certificate in person – even though millions of Americans don’t have these documents.
US Senator Jack Reed
https://www.reed.senate.gov
(401)528-5200
US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov
(401)453-5294
US Representative Gabe Amo
https://amo.house.gov
(401) 729-5600