Discussion · Senate
Ashley Moody Republican
“We should not leave Washington until we vote on bills to protect our elections. We must pass laws that require voter ID and make sure only American citizens can vote. Most Americans want this, and it is the only way people will trust election results.”
“Mr. President, I rise today to urge this esteemed body into action. I know that we are on the verge of a planned, long State work period and that many of my colleagues are looking forward to being back in our homes to meet with our constituents. But here is the thing: I know many of us agree that our business is far from done. The work the American people entrusted to us has not concluded. We have not done what we need to do. We cannot leave Washington until we act upon the most vital aspect of protecting our democracy, and that is securing our elections so that we remain a government of Americans-- free Americans--by Americans, for Americans. I am here today to make sure that happens. Our great American experiment hinges on the sanctity and integrity of our elections, and it is our responsibility--every single one of us no matter what side of the aisle we sit on--to protect the United States of America and everything that it was built on. To do that, we have to ensure that only Americans and legitimate voters participate in American elections. Two hundred fifty years ago, this Nation began as a bold experiment in self-representative government, and we are still guided by those enduring words that followed ``We the People.’’ And while the challenges we face today may seem more modern, certainly more complex, and more immediate than those confronting the Founders, the principles they laid out remain steadfast--the guarantees to our people. ``We the people’’ agreed we would live among one another, create, enforce, and uphold our laws. To do that, we created a strong Republic that depended on ``we the people’’ being engaged in our elections to select our Representatives--the Representatives of the people--to serve our interests. The SAVE America Act--indeed, election integrity efforts--are grounded in a simple, commonsense--indeed, foundational--principle that only American citizens should vote in American elections. I really am dumbfounded that I still have to come to the floor and have this debate with anybody in this Chamber. I am one of the newest Senators. I just got to Washington last year on behalf of the great, free State of Florida. I fought like heck to protect that State during challenges this Nation had never faced before, and we did it. We are now one of the most successful States, and we are one of the States with the most secure elections. You had better be darned sure I am going to do that here as a U.S. Senator on behalf of all Americans. It shouldn’t be controversial. It is not complicated. It is a basic safeguard of our Republic that ensures our government remains truly of, by, and for the American people. From the beginning, the Founders understood the importance of fiercely protecting our elections. Framers like Alexander Hamilton knew that our laws and our system should reflect the will of the American people and no one else. Americans must be able to trust that their elections are not corrupted or skewed or nullified by noncitizens voting or ineligible persons voting. Questions about election integrity are not new. They were recognized and debated by the Founders themselves. During the Constitutional Convention, one member expressed concern that States may make false returns of their elections. States, today, give licenses to those here illegally and then register them to vote. A lot of that paperwork happens at the same time. It is the responsibility of Congress to uphold the election integrity of this country. It is our responsibility to do that on behalf of our constituents back home. In fact, I think it is the responsibility of this Chamber to put it up for a vote so they can see who is standing up for them back home. That is the only way we can ensure the people have confidence in the system and in the legitimacy of our results of elections. This is about more than one bill. Look at any of the election integrity measures that are coming up. I am proud to have been an original sponsor of the SAVE America Act, but voter ID and voter integrity bills--all of these are important. I have also sponsored a bill called Ballots by Election Day to make sure we can get prompt results so people trust these elections. It is about preserving the integrity of our Republic. It is about ensuring that our government remains accountable to the people. It is about protecting a system--a government--that has endured for 250 years. How do we ensure only citizens vote? The answer is so simple: voter ID. It makes sense. You need a valid ID to do so many things--from driving, buying alcohol, checking into a hotel. You even need one to get an unlimited pasta pass from Olive Garden. Some have suggested, in communist Mamdani’s city-run grocery store, you have to show an ID to get groceries. But we are not OK with needing an ID to vote? You hear many folks who claim it is too high of a burden to force the American people to provide an ID to vote--the highest privilege of being a citizen. It is a joke. We have to be able to trust our elections are legitimate, and that is something the vast majority of Americans agrees on. The people have been clear. It does not matter which party they are registered with. The majority in every party agrees we should have to show ID for elections. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of Americans support voter ID laws--83 percent. The very groups that Democrats claim would be harmed by this measure support voter ID. It is not a fringe idea. It is a broadly supported, commonsense safeguard. It is also important to remember we have just seen the headlines out of New Jersey where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote through the State’s motor vehicle system. It is further proof as to why the SAVE America Act is needed. Under no circumstances should that have been able to have occurred. Trust in our government is already at a near-record low. The Pew Research Center reports only 17 percent of Americans now say that they trust Washington to do what is right just about always or most of the time. If we leave without passing or voting on voter integrity, it will prove them right. When trust erodes our entire system, our Republic is weakened because, once confidence in our elections is lost, it will be incredibly difficult to restore. The SAVE America Act helps reinforce trust in our elections. It also stands for preserving the integrity of our Republic--for protecting this system that so many have sacrificed to protect over the 250 years of the United States of America. Benjamin Franklin famously replied to a bystander after the Constitutional Convention that we have a Republic if we can keep it. I am here today to say we must keep it, and it is all of our responsibility to stand up and fight to keep it. I didn’t come to Washington just to sit here and listen to people debate. I came to Washington to get things done, and I came to Washington to make a difference. I need my colleagues to join me in being committed to pushing through and getting a vote and taking an action on securing our elections. The people in our States--the people we serve, our bosses back home--want this. They are demanding that we get this done. So let’s get this done and save America. I yield the floor.”
Mr. President, I rise today to urge this esteemed body into action. I know that we are on the verge of a planned, long State work period and that many of my colleagues are looking forward to being back in our homes to meet with our constituents. But here is the thing: I know many of us agree that our business is far from done. The work the American people entrusted to us has not concluded. We have not done what we need to do. We cannot leave Washington until we act upon the most vital aspect of protecting our democracy, and that is securing our elections so that we remain a government of Americans-- free Americans--by Americans, for Americans. I am here today to make sure that happens. Our great American experiment hinges on the sanctity and integrity of our elections, and it is our responsibility--every single one of us no matter what side of the aisle we sit on--to protect the United States of America and everything that it was built on. To do that, we have to ensure that only Americans and legitimate voters participate in American elections. Two hundred fifty years ago, this Nation began as a bold experiment in self-representative government, and we are still guided by those enduring words that followed ``We the People.’’ And while the challenges we face today may seem more modern, certainly more complex, and more immediate than those confronting the Founders, the principles they laid out remain steadfast--the guarantees to our people. ``We the people’’ agreed we would live among one another, create, enforce, and uphold our laws. To do that, we created a strong Republic that depended on ``we the people’’ being engaged in our elections to select our Representatives--the Representatives of the people--to serve our interests. The SAVE America Act--indeed, election integrity efforts--are grounded in a simple, commonsense--indeed, foundational--principle that only American citizens should vote in American elections. I really am dumbfounded that I still have to come to the floor and have this debate with anybody in this Chamber. I am one of the newest Senators. I just got to Washington last year on behalf of the great, free State of Florida. I fought like heck to protect that State during challenges this Nation had never faced before, and we did it. We are now one of the most successful States, and we are one of the States with the most secure elections. You had better be darned sure I am going to do that here as a U.S. Senator on behalf of all Americans. It shouldn’t be controversial. It is not complicated. It is a basic safeguard of our Republic that ensures our government remains truly of, by, and for the American people. From the beginning, the Founders understood the importance of fiercely protecting our elections. Framers like Alexander Hamilton knew that our laws and our system should reflect the will of the American people and no one else. Americans must be able to trust that their elections are not corrupted or skewed or nullified by noncitizens voting or ineligible persons voting. Questions about election integrity are not new. They were recognized and debated by the Founders themselves. During the Constitutional Convention, one member expressed concern that States may make false returns of their elections. States, today, give licenses to those here illegally and then register them to vote. A lot of that paperwork happens at the same time. It is the responsibility of Congress to uphold the election integrity of this country. It is our responsibility to do that on behalf of our constituents back home. In fact, I think it is the responsibility of this Chamber to put it up for a vote so they can see who is standing up for them back home. That is the only way we can ensure the people have confidence in the system and in the legitimacy of our results of elections. This is about more than one bill. Look at any of the election integrity measures that are coming up. I am proud to have been an original sponsor of the SAVE America Act, but voter ID and voter integrity bills--all of these are important. I have also sponsored a bill called Ballots by Election Day to make sure we can get prompt results so people trust these elections. It is about preserving the integrity of our Republic. It is about ensuring that our government remains accountable to the people. It is about protecting a system--a government--that has endured for 250 years. How do we ensure only citizens vote? The answer is so simple: voter ID. It makes sense. You need a valid ID to do so many things--from driving, buying alcohol, checking into a hotel. You even need one to get an unlimited pasta pass from Olive Garden. Some have suggested, in communist Mamdani’s city-run grocery store, you have to show an ID to get groceries. But we are not OK with needing an ID to vote? You hear many folks who claim it is too high of a burden to force the American people to provide an ID to vote--the highest privilege of being a citizen. It is a joke. We have to be able to trust our elections are legitimate, and that is something the vast majority of Americans agrees on. The people have been clear. It does not matter which party they are registered with. The majority in every party agrees we should have to show ID for elections. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of Americans support voter ID laws--83 percent. The very groups that Democrats claim would be harmed by this measure support voter ID. It is not a fringe idea. It is a broadly supported, commonsense safeguard. It is also important to remember we have just seen the headlines out of New Jersey where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote through the State’s motor vehicle system. It is further proof as to why the SAVE America Act is needed. Under no circumstances should that have been able to have occurred. Trust in our government is already at a near-record low. The Pew Research Center reports only 17 percent of Americans now say that they trust Washington to do what is right just about always or most of the time. If we leave without passing or voting on voter integrity, it will prove them right. When trust erodes our entire system, our Republic is weakened because, once confidence in our elections is lost, it will be incredibly difficult to restore. The SAVE America Act helps reinforce trust in our elections. It also stands for preserving the integrity of our Republic--for protecting this system that so many have sacrificed to protect over the 250 years of the United States of America. Benjamin Franklin famously replied to a bystander after the Constitutional Convention that we have a Republic if we can keep it. I am here today to say we must keep it, and it is all of our responsibility to stand up and fight to keep it. I didn’t come to Washington just to sit here and listen to people debate. I came to Washington to get things done, and I came to Washington to make a difference. I need my colleagues to join me in being committed to pushing through and getting a vote and taking an action on securing our elections. The people in our States--the people we serve, our bosses back home--want this. They are demanding that we get this done. So let’s get this done and save America. I yield the floor.