Congress, the institution famous for getting absolutely nothing done, managed to pass something on Wednesday. But naturally, they had to make it weird. The House voted 232 to 198 to approve voter identification requirements for federal elections, but only after stuffing those provisions inside a bill that also bans members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Because apparently, the only way to get voter ID through the door is to disguise it as ethics reform, like sneaking vegetables into a toddler's mac and cheese.
As Conservative Brief reported, this whole saga traces back to the SAVE America Act, which contains proof of citizenship and voter ID provisions that polling shows roughly 75 to 80 percent of Americans support. Both sides of the political spectrum want this. And yet, over a year later, it still has not landed on President Trump's desk. Democracy in action, folks.
The combined legislation now faces a Senate that requires 60 votes to move forward, which means its odds of survival are roughly equivalent to a snowball's chances in Death Valley. Still, Republicans figure the bill will at least force a conversation about election integrity and congressional ethics heading into the midterms. Think of it less as lawmaking and more as political theater with a really good press release.
Thirteen Democrats actually crossed party lines to vote yes. Most Democrats, however, were not having it. Rep. Seth Magaziner from Rhode Island called the whole thing a trap on the House floor, claiming Republicans were trying to trick people into supporting voter restrictions by wrapping them in a stock trading ban. Rep. Joe Morelle of New York echoed that sentiment, calling it a legislative trick play. Republicans fired back by noting that obtaining a government ID is remarkably simple and often completely free.
Adding fuel to the fire was a situation out of New Jersey, where roughly 6,600 non citizens were mistakenly added to voter rolls. The governor blamed a programming error at the state's Motor Vehicle Commission. USA Today reported that around 400 of those individuals actually voted, though the origin of that specific number remains unclear. The software company involved, a French firm called IDEMIA, denied responsibility and pointed the finger right back at New Jersey officials. Classic blame game, everybody loses.
Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, urged Americans to pay close attention to how every member voted, saying voter ID protects the sanctity of elections. Meanwhile, the stock trading portion of the bill would prevent lawmakers, their spouses, and dependent children from buying individual stocks while serving. However, it would not force anyone to sell what they already own, which is a loophole you could drive a portfolio through.
A separate bipartisan proposal called the Restore Trust in Congress Act would actually require selling existing holdings, but that bill is a different conversation entirely. Rep. Bryan Steil, the Wisconsin Republican who introduced the legislation, noted that opponents simultaneously argued the bill goes too far and not far enough. He called it the Goldilocks argument, which is honestly the most accurate description of congressional debate anyone has ever offered.
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