NYC Gazette

(Washington, DC): Congressman George Santos (NY-03) introduced H. Con. Res. 45, the “Hands Off Our Election Resolution of 2023,” which seeks to express the sense of Congress that the Federal Government should not encroach upon the States’ constitutional right to govern aspects of election law and for other purposes.

“In 2017, the Democrat congress attempted to take over federal elections,” said Rep. Santos. “With a new Republican majority, we need to be proactive in fighting Democrat subterfuge and claims about enhancing voting rights.  By allowing the federal government to encroach on our federal elections, state and local governments lose control of elections and it serves in Democrat’s favor at the polls. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle forget that while the Federal Government plays a role in securing elections, our Founding Fathers left the bulk of the responsibility to states and localities.”

Background on H. Con. Res. 45:

• Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States, designates to the States the rights to govern aspects of election law.

 Summary of H.R. 1 from the 117th Congress:

(Courtesy of the House Republican Conference, 2019)

• Violates constitutional rights under the First Amendment by expanding the definition of political speech and increasing the power of the federal government to control it. Changes the makeup of the FEC from a balanced 3-3 ratio to a partisan 3-2 ratio, giving democrats the ability to silence speech with which they disagree.
• H.R. 1 will mandate our states to allow online voter registration, automatic voter registration, and same-day voter registration.
• Diminishes the process of Election Day voting by expanding “no excuse” absentee voting and allowing for any eligible voter to be able to cast their ballot by mail with no additional safeguards to this process.
• Disregards state voter identification laws by allowing sworn statements to be used in place of identification and allowing for signature verification, which can be submitted through a photo if the voter registers online.
• Weakens the voting system of the American people by increasing the election system’s vulnerability and failing to implement the necessary checks and balances regarding who is registering to vote. H.R. 1 will force states to allow online voter registration, automatic voter registration, and same day voter registration with no penalties to any ineligible individual registered in error.

Original source can be found here.