"One of the most despicable laws I have encountered in my many years," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, thundered about the bill, according to The Hill.
There is nothing more important than fighting this attack on our democracy.
Republicans, particularly Donald Trump, have a different view. They believe that the “Save America Act,” formally an amendment to a 1993 federal voter registration law, makes the election process safer and reduces the risks of non-Americans trying to vote.
Passport or birth certificate
The proposal would require voters to personally present proof of citizenship in the form of a birth certificate, passport or similar document when registering to vote in federal elections. A photo ID would also be required when voting.
Until now, it has been enough for voters to sign an affidavit stating that they are citizens, according to CNN.
The ability to vote by mail would also be severely limited.
The new rules, if enacted, could be problematic for the approximately 21 million voters who do not have access to documents proving citizenship, according to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice think tank.
There are concerns that such voters will be less likely to vote, as the requirements make registering and ultimately voting too burdensome.
Rigged and stolen?
President Trump has repeatedly, without providing evidence, alleged that systematic fraud occurred in the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
American elections are "rigged, stolen and made a laughingstock around the world," Trump recently wrote on social media.
But experts agree that voter fraud is very rare in the U.S. The Heritage Foundation's database of election-related fraud has recorded 1,620 cases since 1982, when the statistics began.
The new bill was approved in the House of Representatives in February.
It is now being hotly debated in the Senate, where some Republicans also have objections. And the Senate's 47 Democrats are threatening to block the proposal through a so-called filibuster rule, according to which qualified support from at least 60 of the 100 members is required to end the debate and go to a vote.
If the new rules get the green light, they must be harmonized with local laws in the 50 states - less than eight months before midterm congressional elections are to be held.
