WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, took to the Senate floor to outline the dangers of Republicans’ voter disenfranchisement bill, the SAVE America Act. In his remarks, Senator Welch read letters from Vermonters and local officials expressing deep concerns about how the SAVE America Act could silence and deny countless Americans their constitutional right to vote. 

“I’m listening to my constituents. We all need to listen to our constituents and our local leaders. We cannot advance a bill that will disenfranchise voters. We cannot block access to the ballot box. We cannot limit voices, nor can we stop, nor should we stop, nor should we impede, people from voting. I cannot and will not support the SAVE America Act,” said Senator Welch. 

Read Senator Welch’s full remarks as delivered here and watch the Senator’s full remarks below: 

In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted real stories from Vermonters who are gravely concerned about the impact of the SAVE Act, should it be passed:  

“These are the words of a Town Clerk in Vermont: ‘I have serious concerns regarding the SAVE Act, specifically the barrier it creates for voters and the unnecessary administrative and infrastructure burden it will place on election officials. If the SAVE Act is enacted, it will put a disproportionate burden on women, low-income families, and anyone who has changed their names since birth. Requiring the documentation to prove a name change can be difficult; it can be expensive…Recently, I had an 85-year-old woman come into my office deeply distressed. She doesn’t have a driver’s license, a passport, or any other documents required under the SAVE America Act. Yet, she’s voted in every election her entire life. She’s terrified that her right to vote will be stripped away. In a small community like ours, we know our neighbors. Requiring her to produce a birth certificate she hasn’t seen in decades ignores the reality of local governance.’”  

••• 

“Another Vermonter, from Stowe: ‘I’m writing to voice my concern over the protection of my voting rights and the voting rights of millions of other married women. I recently needed to renew my passport. I fortunately have my original birth certificate, but found out I no longer had an original copy of my marriage license. It took me significant time, effort, and money to obtain the original, and then to have the passport expedited in order to get it on time for my trip. We’re talking months. I was fortunate that I had my birth certificate, and as I would imagine that many people do not.’” 

••• 

“One Vermonter in Hinesburg said: ‘I’m hearing rumblings that the Senate will be taking action on the SAVE Act that unfortunately passed in the House…Personally, I’ve already purchased copies of my birth certificate and my marriage license, even though I have a passport, because I wanted to be damn sure I can vote. But obviously, there are many people who won’t be able to access their needed proof of eligibility. If this bill goes through, they’ll therefore be denied one of their basic rights as an American. I’m pretty sure you’re going to vote no on this,’ she says to me. ‘I just wanted to let you know that I’m against it too.’” 

••• 

“Another voter in Winooski: ‘Please vote no to the SAVE Act. It’s a solution in search of a problem. Because voting by undocumented people does not happen in any significant degree in this country. It will disenfranchise millions of voters. It’s essentially a poll tax on any who has changed their name at any point in their life, which means many women, amongst others, will be unable to vote. We have watched SCOTUS erode the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by degrees. The SAVE Act will be a death blow.’”   

••• 

Last week, Senator Welch denounced President Trump and Republicans’ efforts to disenfranchise voters with the so-called ‘SAVE America Act’ from the floor of the U.S. Senate.  In February, Senator Welch joined Senate Rules Committee Democrats for a public forum underscoring how President Trump’s unconstitutional threats to “take over” federal elections and Republicans’ SAVE America Act endanger the voting rights of millions of Americans and jeopardize the integrity of U.S. elections.  

###