Members of Congress didn't have to prove citizenship to run for office

[beaconess]

They just have to sign a form saying they are a citizen - just like most current voter registration requirements.

So why does the House of Representatives insist that tens of millions of voters present proof of citizenship to vote when the people they're voting for don't have to do the same?

[ewoden]

1. Look it's ok as long as those House Reps don't vote:-)

[razors edge]

2. don't have to

produce anything to get a paycheck, retirement, and health care either.

[Captain Hilts]

4. To apply for them they do. nt

[Captain Hilts]

3. Yes they do. And residency and age. nt

[beaconess]

5. No they don't . . .

They just need to file a Declaration of Candidacy on which they swear that they are citizens (and residents and of proper age) under penalty of perjury. They do not have to produce any documents proving their citizenship. Yet they just passed a law requiring ordinary citizens to produce proof of citizenship - not just swear that they are citizens - in order to vote.

[Captain Hilts]

6. They have to prove their age. Citizenship status has come up.

You have to be registered to vote in your district. Or, if you're Dick Cheney, you have to suddenly register somewhere else.

You have to prove citizenship to register to vote and be accepted.

Who is it, Granholm ? who wasn't born in the US?

These issues do come up.

[beaconess]

7. You DON'T have to prove citizenship to vote

That's what the controversy is about regarding the Voter ID bill the House just passed - the new bill, if passed by the Senate, will require proof of citizenship to vote - which equates to an unconstitutional poll tax.

The bottom line is that Congressional candidates DO NOT have to provide proof of citizenship in order to run for Congress, yet they just passed a bill that requires tens of millions of Americans to do so in order to vote.