by KATU Staff

Fri, April 11th 2025 at 6:36 PM

Updated Fri, April 11th 2025 at 6:37 PM

FILE – Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez, D-Wash., listens during a Washington 3rd District debate at KATU studios on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Washington Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez joined Republicans in passing a bill that requires proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act now heads to the Senate where its fate is uncertain.

Republicans argue the measure is needed to restore public trust in elections.

Critics warn it will make it more difficult for Americans to vote, particularly those without easy access to proof-of-citizenship documents.

In a statement, Gluesenkamp Perez calls her vote common sense.

“Voting in our nation’s elections is a sacred right belonging only to American citizens, and my vote for the SAVE Act reflects that principle,” she said.