House Passes Pfluger Bill to Block Noncitizen Voting in D.C.

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman August Pfluger's (TX-11) bill to prohibit non-citizens from voting in D.C. and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment of 2022 passed the U.S. House of Representatives today in a bipartisan fashion. 

According to information from Pfluger's office, it's "common sense that only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections." 

Prior to its passage, Rep. Pfluger delivered remarks on the House floor in support of his legislation.

Watch his full remarks here. Read the full text of the legislation here.

Rep. Pfluger released the following statement following passage of his legislation:

“The radical D.C. Council decided to allow noncitizens—including illegal aliens and foreign agents—to vote in local elections. Even worse, they then proceeded to encourage noncitizens to vote for Mayor, Attorney General, and more. It's no secret that local elections determine critical matters, and allowing noncitizens to vote in them opens Pandora’s box to D.C.’s already radical local policies, diluting the voting power of citizen voters. Today, the House took action to defend that power and restore the sanctity of the voting process by passing my legislation to block noncitizens from voting in D.C. elections. Let me be clear: anyone who voted against my bill voted for the transfer of political power away from legal voters,” said Rep. Pfluger.

Several leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives also praised the passage of Rep. Pfluger's legislation:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Comer said, “It’s common sense that only American citizens should have the right to vote. Allowing noncitizens to vote in D.C. elections undermines the defining privilege of American citizenship and dilutes the right of American citizens to elect the candidates who best represent them. By passing H.R. 884, the House took a crucial step toward empowering American citizens in D.C. to vote in local elections and restoring the rule of law in our nation’s capital. The House Oversight Committee is proud to support Rep. Pfluger’s important bill and is committed to defending Americans’ fundamental right to vote and responsible governance in D.C. The Senate must now follow the House’s lead and do the same,”

Majority Leader Steve Scalise said, “The D.C. Council’s law allowing noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in D.C. local elections is blatantly against federal law and inherently unjust, disenfranchising American voters and diluting their voice in their government. Making matters worse, the law makes no exception for foreign nationals or diplomats, meaning representatives from other countries, such as agents of the Chinese Communist Party, could potentially vote in D.C. elections–even though their interests are often separate or opposed to American interests. It’s common sense: only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections. I’m thankful to Rep. August Pfluger for standing up for American voters and bringing legislation to prevent individuals who are not U.S. citizens from voting in elections in the District of Columbia.”

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain said, "House Republicans passed legislation to restore trust in our election system, particularly in our nation’s capital. Unlike Democrats, we will not allow illegal immigrants to dilute the votes of actual Americans. Only Americans should be able to vote in U.S. elections. It’s as simple as that." 

Majority Whip Tom Emmer said, “The District of Columbia has defied federal law for too long by allowing illegal aliens to vote in local elections. Representative Pfluger’s bill rightly puts an end to this insanity by enacting what should be common sense: American elections should only be decided by American citizens.”

Background:

Earlier this year, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced a package of bills to strengthen election integrity and restore American confidence in our elections. The package included Rep. Pfluger's bill to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. 

This bill follows a nearly unanimous vote by the D.C. City Council to advance a bill that would allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, even if they have only resided in D.C. for 30 days. This law is unjust and against federal law. 

Last year, this bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 262-143.