The US House of Representatives this week passed legislation that would require voters to provide proof-of-citizenship as the midterm elections approach.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, would require individuals to present a valid US passport or birth certificate when registering to vote.
The proposal has raised concerns among some groups, including married individuals who have changed their names and may not have matching documents.
Democrats argue that the legislation disenfranchises eligible voters, while Republicans maintain it is a necessary measure to prevent voter fraud.
The bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where it does not have enough backers.
Here's what to know about this legislation.
What are the new requirements?
The SAVE act requires Americans to prove they are US citizens when they register to vote. It also mandates a valid photo identification before they cast their ballots.
Some states already require voters to show valid photo identification at the polls. Federal law mandates that voters in national elections be US citizens, but it does not currently require proof of citizenship as the proposed legislation would.
This bill establishes a process for individuals who have changed their names to submit additional documents to verify their identity, drawing particular concern from those who changed their names after marriage.
Under the legislation, election officials who register a voter without obtaining the required proof of citizenship could face criminal penalties.
An estimated 21 million Americans do not have documents proving their citizenship readily available, and 2.6 million lack any form of government-issued photo ID, according to the Brennan Center for Justice and the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement.
A Pew Research Center poll revealed last year that 83% of respondents favored requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification, including 71% of Democrat or Democratic-leaning voters and 95% of Republican or Republican-leaning voters.
What does Trump say?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly praised the legislation and urged his Republican party to push it through Congress for him to sign into law while reiterating his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. He asserts that the SAVE Act could stop such incidents from occurring again.
American citizens, and only American citizens, should decide American elections, the White House stated on social media, echoing Trump's assertions about widespread election fraud, for which substantial evidence is lacking.
Republican Congressman Bryan Steil contended that the bill isn't voter suppression, arguing instead that it enforces existing laws to prevent non-citizen voting.
When does the Senate vote?
The timeline for a Senate vote remains unclear, as Majority Leader John Thune does not possess the necessary 60 votes to advance the bill, which passed the House with a 218-213 tally largely along party lines.
Efforts to adjust the filibuster rules to facilitate the bill's passage have been proposed, yet Thune indicated that there is insufficient support for such a change.
Some Republican senators like Lisa Murkowski have also stated they wouldn't support the measure, complicating passage prospects.
