Kamlager-Dove Statement on Voting No on Speaker Johnson’s Radical and Irresponsible Stopgap Spending Bill

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement following her “no” vote on Speaker Johnson’s radical and irresponsible six-month continuing resolution, which included the text of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act:

“In my first term in Congress, I have now had to vote on six stopgap spending bills to avert a government shutdown. It is not normal for the American people to have constant anxiety over the possibility of a government shutdown, to worry about whether the vital programs they rely on– such as SNAP, WIC, and Social Security– will continue to operate, if they will receive a paycheck from their federal job, or if our troops will be supported.

"Time and time again, House Republicans have waited until the eleventh hour to fund our government, having instead been more focused on advancing their extreme anti-women, anti-immigrant, anti-woke, and pro-appliance agenda. Worse, they have taken advantage of the urgency that comes with a looming government shutdown by tacking on harmful policies that threaten the safety, freedoms, and economic security of the American people.

"I voted no on the six-month continuing resolution for many reasons, including its inclusion of the SAVE Act– one of the most destructive pieces of the Republicans’ agenda this Congress. This legislation does nothing to address the non-existent problem of alleged widespread voter fraud, as it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. Instead, the SAVE Act makes it much harder for everyone to vote; Americans would be barred from using photo identification like drivers’ licenses, military IDs, and Tribal IDs alone when registering to vote. Further, people who change their name, including millions of married women, would be unable to use their birth certificates to prove their citizenship. This is yet another dangerous attempt to perpetuate lies about the 2020 Election and undermine the sanctity of our democracy.

"To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: I urge you to stop listening to the 34-count felon and twice-impeached former President and start listening to the American people. Enough with the partisan games– it’s time for Republicans to get serious about governing and work with Democrats to prevent the devastating impact that a shutdown would have on our constituents.”

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