Chairman Bryan Steil of the Committee on House Administration addressed issues related to voter eligibility and list maintenance during a full committee hearing with Secretaries of State on Apr. 16.
The topic is significant as it concerns the accuracy of voter rolls and the integrity of federal elections, matters under the oversight of the House Administration Committee. According to the official website, the committee handles oversight of House operations, federal elections, and Capitol security, and exercises jurisdiction over federal elections and congressional contests across the nation.
In his opening statement, Steil said, “We’ll focus on state’s efforts to maintain accurate voter rolls, as well as their efforts to ensure only eligible voters are participating in our democratic process.” He referenced letters sent in January to ten Secretaries of State about key topics such as verifying eligibility when registering voters and use of databases like SAVE for identifying noncitizens. Two Secretaries—Kansas Secretary Scott Schwab and Minnesota Secretary Steve Simon—attended the hearing.
Steil highlighted recent cases where noncitizens were found on state voter rolls or charged with illegal voting. He said that current laws like the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and Help America Vote Act have flaws that weaken election integrity. “So to get this clear – under current law, illegal aliens are required to receive voter registration materials when they get a driver’s license,” Steil said. He argued that Congress must address these issues through legislative reforms such as his proposed Make Elections Great Again Act (MEGA Act), which would require states to conduct general maintenance on their voter lists at least every thirty days.
The House Administration Committee forms part of the U.S. House of Representatives and takes part in joint committees on Library and Printing according to its official website. The committee also serves as a standing body focused on administrative matters within Congress according to its official website.
Steil concluded by saying, “Doing so will boost voter confidence and increase participation in our elections – and that’s a good thing.” The committee previously played a key role in passing legislation such as the Help America Vote Act in 2002, which allocated more than $3 billion for improvements aimed at boosting accessibility and curbing fraud according to its official website.
Broader implications from this hearing may include future legislative changes intended to strengthen standards for federal elections nationwide.
