Why It Matters
Congress is weighing competing proposals on voter registration records and list maintenance, with some bills requiring proof of citizenship to register and others restricting voter removals. Meanwhile, two executive orders are facing pending legal challenges, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
Two executive orders address state voter-registration verification: Executive Order 14248, issued in March 2025, contains provisions on the Social Security Commissioner's role in helping states verify registrations, and Executive Order 14399, issued in April, directs federal officials to provide states a "State Citizenship List" based on federal records. Legal challenges to both orders were pending when the report was written.
The Big Picture
The proof-of-citizenship requirement has been pursued across at least three consecutive Congresses. In the 119th Congress, three House-passed measures carry such a requirement: H.R.22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections; S.1383, the SAVE America Act; and H.R.8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. H.R.8800 cleared the House 216-212 on July 22; S.1383 passed the House 218-213 on Feb. 11; and H.R.22 passed 220-208 on April 10, 2025.
On the other side of the debate, several bills would restrict voter removals or expand access. S.4774, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), would prohibit removing voters using unverified voter challenge databases and bar distributing false artificial intelligence generated election media. H.R.9897, the Trump-Reagan Election Enforcement Act, sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO-4), would withhold federal surface transportation funds from states that do not enact proof-of-citizenship requirements; it was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in July.
The report notes that the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 limits voter removals, requiring that removal processes be uniform, nondiscriminatory and compliant with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and that nonvoting alone is not grounds for removal. The report frames the broader debate as contested: some view further federal action as necessary to protect election integrity, while others question whether it is needed given existing statutory parameters and current state practices.
The Bottom Line
H.R. 22 (SAVE Act), sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21), has passed the House and was received in the Senate. H.R.8800 was received in the Senate on Sept. 14 and also awaits further action. The legal status of the two executive orders remains unresolved.
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