Supporters of Donald Trump and people protesting against him gathered outside a campaign rally where Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Martha McSally were appearing.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer explained on television why he strongly opposes a proposed Republican bill about voting. The bill would introduce strict new rules, including a requirement that people show official documents proving they are U.S. citizens before they can register to vote.
This rule would go much further than the voter ID laws already used in many Republican-led states. Critics say that as many as 21 million people who are legally allowed to vote could struggle to meet these requirements. For example, married women who changed their last names might have difficulty providing documents that perfectly match their current identification.
Schumer said that his decision to fight the bill, and the strong language he used to criticize it, has made many MAGA activists angry, but he does not plan to apologize. During an interview, a news anchor asked him why he opposes the measure, pointing out that supporters say the bill is meant to improve election security by making voters prove their citizenship.
The anchor also noted that although claims of widespread voter fraud are not supported by evidence, opinion polls show many Americans including large numbers of both Republicans and Democrats say they like the idea.
Schumer responded by saying the proposal reminds him of past laws that were used to make voting harder for certain groups, especially people of color in the southern United States.
He argued that the new requirements could again make it difficult for many citizens to vote, such as people who cannot easily find their birth certificates or who have identification documents that do not exactly match their current names. He said that people in these situations could face unfair treatment and effectively be blocked from voting.
Calling the proposal “harsh and harmful,” Schumer said he has told Republican lawmakers that the bill will not pass the Senate because Democrats will not support it. He added that once Americans fully understand how the proposed law would work and who it might affect, he believes many of them will also oppose it.
