H.R. 7296: SAVE America Act
Sponsor
Chip Roy
Republican · TX-21
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jan 30, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Documents to register. ID to vote. Twice for mail.
Why it matters
H.R. 7296 would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, a physical photo ID at the polls, and an ID copy at two stages of absentee voting. States would get 30 days to build new citizenship-check programs. Federal agencies would get 24 hours to answer verification requests. The bill has 111 Republican cosponsors and zero Democrats.
H.R. 7296, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (also called the SAVE America Act), would change how every American registers and votes in federal elections.
To register, you'd have to provide documentary proof of citizenship. The bill lists what counts: a U.S. passport, a REAL ID that specifically indicates citizenship, a military ID paired with a service record showing U.S. birth, a government photo ID showing U.S. birth, or a government photo ID paired with documents like a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad. A standard driver's license alone wouldn't be enough.
Mail registration changes too. The form by itself wouldn't put you on the rolls. You'd have to bring your citizenship documents in person to an election office by your state's deadline, or to your polling place in states that allow same-day registration.
At the polls, you'd present a tangible photo ID. The bill explicitly bars digital ID documents stored in a phone wallet. The card has to be issued by a state DMV, an election office, a tribal government, the State Department, the Department of War, or a branch of the Armed Forces. It has to show a photo, an indicator on the front that you're a U.S. citizen, and either an ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Absentee voters would send an ID copy twice: once with the request for a ballot, and once with the completed ballot.
On the back end, states get 30 days from enactment to set up programs that identify non-citizens, drawing on databases like DHS SAVE, the Social Security Administration's verification service, and state agencies that confirm citizenship for licenses or ID cards. Federal agencies must answer state verification requests within 24 hours and cannot charge a fee. The Election Assistance Commission gets 10 days to publish implementation guidance.
The bill also raises legal stakes. It expands the private right of action against election officials who register applicants without the required proof, and creates new criminal penalties for executive-branch employees who provide material assistance to non-citizens trying to register or vote, or who register anyone without documentary proof.
Politically, H.R. 7296 has 111 Republican cosponsors and not a single Democrat. It was referred to the House Committee on House Administration on January 30, 2026, and has not moved.
H.R. 7296 Bill Summary
What H.R. 7296 actually does.
Citizenship documents required to register
States couldn't process a federal voter registration application without documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents include a U.S. passport, a REAL ID that indicates citizenship, a military ID paired with a service record showing U.S. birth, or a government photo ID paired with a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Mail registration alone wouldn't put you on the rolls
If you fill out the federal mail voter registration form, you'd still have to bring your citizenship documents in person to an election office by your state's deadline, or to your polling place in states that allow same-day registration.
Photo ID at the polls, no phone wallets
Voters would present a tangible photo ID at in-person voting. The bill explicitly excludes digital documents, so an ID stored in a phone wallet wouldn't qualify. The card has to be issued by a state DMV, an election office, a tribal government, the State Department, the Department of War, or a branch of the Armed Forces.
Absentee voters send their ID twice
For absentee voting in federal elections, you'd include a copy of an eligible photo ID with both the request for the ballot and the completed ballot when you mail it back.
States get 30 days, federal agencies get 24 hours
States would have 30 days from enactment to set up programs that identify non-citizens using DHS SAVE, the Social Security Administration's verification service, and state DMV records. Federal agencies must respond to state verification requests within 24 hours and cannot charge a fee.
Expanded lawsuits and new criminal penalties
The bill expands the private right of action so anyone could sue election officials who register applicants without the required proof. It creates criminal penalties for executive-branch employees who provide material assistance to non-citizens trying to register or vote, or who register applicants without documentary proof.
Who benefits from H.R. 7296?
Voters who already keep a passport or REAL ID showing citizenship
If you already have a current U.S. passport or a REAL ID that indicates citizenship, you'd have a clearer path to meeting the new registration rules without hunting down additional records.
States that already run citizenship database checks
States that already feed their voter rolls through systems like DHS SAVE would have a head start on the 30-day implementation deadline. The bill also gives states using SAVE quarterly an exemption from the on-card citizenship indicator requirement.
State election offices that want faster federal data
State officials would gain a legal right to free citizenship-verification responses from federal agencies within 24 hours, replacing what's currently an inconsistent and sometimes paid request process.
Who is affected by H.R. 7296?
Anyone registering by mail for federal elections
A mailed form alone wouldn't finish the job. You'd still have to present citizenship documents in person before you could be registered, or bring them to your polling place in same-day registration states.
Absentee and mail-ballot voters
You'd attach a photo ID copy at two points: when you request an absentee ballot, and when you return the completed ballot. Either step missing the ID could delay or block your vote.
Voters whose IDs and birth records don't match
If your birth certificate uses a maiden name but your ID uses a married name, or your records have spelling discrepancies, you'd go through a state-built process to resolve the discrepancy. The bill leaves the details of what counts as enough proof to state officials.
Voters without easy access to citizenship documents
If you don't have a passport, and your birth certificate is missing, outdated, or held by a state where you don't currently live, registering for federal elections would take more time and more steps.
State and local election administrators
Election offices would have to rewrite forms, train poll workers, build verification workflows, and meet tight federal deadlines, while facing expanded lawsuits if they register an applicant without the required proof.
Executive-branch federal employees
Federal employees involved in voter registration could face criminal penalties for providing material assistance to non-citizens trying to register or vote, or for registering applicants without documentary proof.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 7296 hasn't been debated on the floor yet.
This section updates when a legislator speaks about it on the floor or in committee.
HR7296 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Jan 30, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
About the Sponsor
Chip Roy
Republican, Texas's 21st congressional district · 7 years in Congress
Committees: Rules, the Judiciary, the Budget
View full profile →
Cosponsors (111)
All 111 cosponsors are Republicans. Cosponsors represent 35 states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, and 32 more.
Scott Perry
Republican · PA
Andrew Clyde
Republican · GA
Barry Moore
Republican · AL
Steve Scalise
Republican · LA
Burgess Owens
Republican · UT
Mark Messmer
Republican · IN
Pete Sessions
Republican · TX
Harriet Hageman
Republican · WY
Jefferson Van Drew
Republican · NJ
Lauren Boebert
Republican · CO
Aaron Bean
Republican · FL
Tim Burchett
Republican · TN
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Committee on House Administration
1 of 12 committee members cosponsored
7 Republicans across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
What laws does H.R. 7296 change?
3 changes
Sections Amended
Section 4 of National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20503)
striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: ``(b) Requiring Applicants To Present Documentary Proof of United States Citizenship
Section 121(c) of Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-603). ``(C) Sharing of information.--The heads of Federal departments and agencies shall share information with each other with respect to an individual who is the subject of a request received under paragraph (A) in order to enable them to respond to the request. ``(D) Investigation for purposes of removal.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct an investigation to determine whether to initiate removal proceedings under section 239 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229) if it is determined pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (B) that an alien (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101)) is unlawfully registered to vote in elections for Federal office. ``(E) Prohibiting fees.--The head of a Federal department or agency may not charge a fee for responding to a State's request under paragraph (A). ``(k) Removal of Noncitizens From Registration Rolls.--A State shall remove an individual who is not a citizen of the United States from the official list of eligible voters for elections for Federal office held in the State at any time upon receipt of documentation or verified information that a registrant is not a United States citizen.''. (g) Clarification of Authority of State To Remove Noncitizens From Official List of Eligible Voters.-- (1) In general.--Section 8(a)(4) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(4)) is amended-- (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (A); (B) by adding ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (B); and (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(C) documentary proof or verified information that the registrant is not a United States citizen;''. (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 8(c)(2)(B)(i) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20507(c)(2)(B)(i))
striking ``(4)(A)'' and inserting ``(4)(A) or (C)''
Section 303(b) of Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(b))
striking all that precedes paragraph (4)
H.R. 7296 Quick Facts
- Committee
- House Administration
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Government Operations and Politics
- Introduced
- Jan 30, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Jan 30, 2026
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, actions, cosponsors, and sponsor information for H.R. 7296 in the 119th Congress.
Section 2 of H.R. 7296 amends nearly every section of this federal voter registration statute, including how applications are accepted, processed, and verified.
The bill rewrites the rules for the federal mail voter registration form overseen by the Election Assistance Commission, including requiring documentary proof of citizenship.
A REAL ID that specifically indicates U.S. citizenship is one of the documents H.R. 7296 lists as acceptable proof of citizenship for voter registration.
A valid United States passport is expressly listed in the bill as acceptable documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.
The bill specifies a Consular Report of Birth Abroad as one of the documents that can pair with a government photo ID to establish citizenship.
H.R. 7296 directs states to use the federal SAVE program to identify non-citizens on voter rolls and grants states using SAVE quarterly an exemption from the on-card citizenship indicator requirement.
The bill names the Social Security Administration's Social Security Number Verification Service as one of the federal data sources states may use to verify citizenship.
H.R. 7296 Common Questions
Did H.R. 7296 pass?
No. H.R. 7296 was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) on January 30, 2026, and referred to the House Committee on House Administration. It has 111 Republican cosponsors and zero Democrats. The committee has not scheduled a markup or hearing.
What documents would prove citizenship under H.R. 7296?
Acceptable proof would include a U.S. passport, a REAL ID that specifically indicates citizenship, a military ID with a service record showing U.S. birth, a government photo ID showing U.S. birth, or a government photo ID paired with documents like a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Does a regular driver's license count as proof of citizenship under H.R. 7296?
Not by itself, in most cases. A standard driver's license that doesn't show U.S. citizenship on its face wouldn't count alone. You'd need to pair it with a document like a certified birth certificate or naturalization certificate. REAL IDs that specifically indicate citizenship would qualify on their own.
What happens if my birth certificate uses a different name than my current ID?
The bill requires states to set up a process for handling discrepancies. You'd submit additional documentation to your local election official, who decides whether you've established citizenship. The bill doesn't spell out what extra documents would be enough; that's left to state officials.
Can I use a digital ID stored on my phone to vote under H.R. 7296?
No. For in-person voting, the bill requires a tangible photo ID and explicitly excludes digital documents. A driver's license stored in a phone wallet wouldn't qualify. You'd need to bring the physical card to the polling place.
How would H.R. 7296 change absentee voting?
You'd send a copy of an eligible photo ID twice: once when you request the absentee ballot, and once when you return the completed ballot. The bill applies this rule to all federal elections.
Could H.R. 7296 punish election officials?
Yes. The bill expands the private right of action so anyone could sue officials who register applicants without the required proof. It also creates new criminal penalties for executive-branch employees who provide material assistance to non-citizens registering or voting, or who register anyone without documentary proof.
Could a U.S. citizen be turned away under H.R. 7296?
Not permanently. The bill says nothing in it prevents someone from casting a provisional ballot, and that ballot would count if the voter is later verified as a U.S. citizen.
Based on H.R. 7296 bill text
H.R. 7296 Bill Text
“To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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