Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) and members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus have sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R), urging him not to bring the SAVE Act to the House floor for a vote. The bill, which is scheduled to be voted on this week, has been criticized by Democrats as an unnecessary measure that would make it more difficult for millions of women to vote.
Rep. Crockett took to social media to express her strong opposition to the bill, arguing, “The SAVE Act is yet another bogus attempt by Republicans to suppress the vote – and this time, they’re targeting women.” “This bill would make it damn near impossible for millions of women who changed their last name after marriage to cast a ballot. Let’s be clear: this isn’t about election integrity – it’s about voter suppression,” she added.
The SAVE Act requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The Democratic Women’s Caucus argues that this requirement is unnecessary since non-citizens are already prohibited from voting. They add that it disproportionately affects women, particularly those who have changed their last name after marriage.
According to the caucus, nearly 70 million married women in the U.S. have taken their spouse’s last name but have not updated their birth certificates, which is not required in the legal name change process. Many also do not have passports, which could serve as proof of citizenship.
The letter directed to Speaker Johnson highlights the burden this bill would place on women. In the letter, the lawmakers write, “The burden of additional paperwork and bureaucratic red tape will fall overwhelmingly on women who are balancing careers, families, and other responsibilities – making voting exceptionally difficult.”
