SAVE America Act author admits married aide ‘had to go through a bunch of hoops’ to vote because she changed name
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a leading champion of the SAVE America Act in Congress, has repeatedly rejected concerns that millions of Americans would face unnecessary barriers while registering to vote if the draconian bill became law.
Privately, however, Roy has acknowledged that the legislation could pose hurdles for married women and others who have changed their legal name, according to a video obtained by the independent media organization Call to Activism.
He just doesn’t want you to know.
“Although, frankly, I’m trying not to elevate the issue too much,” Roy said during a February 2025 meeting featuring the Election Integrity Network, an organization founded by prominent anti-voting activist Cleta Mitchell.
As an example of potential hindrances, the representative noted that his chief of staff encountered difficulties obtaining a new identification card after Virginia adopted the REAL ID system.
The REAL ID system requires people whose current name differs from their identification documents to submit additional paperwork — such as marriage documents or divorce decrees — to prove their identity.
“So, she had to go through a bunch of hoops. She’s gonna have to go back to the DMV twice because they want the paperwork,” Roy said. “That’s just part of the issue with how we try to set up the ability to identify people.”
The SAVE America Act includes similar requirements to the REAL ID system. It mandates that to register to vote in federal elections, people must submit documentary proof of citizenship. However, it places additional demands on people who have legally changed their name, including the approximately 69 million women who took their spouse’s last name when they got married.
Though he had just highlighted a potential hurdle that married women may face when they register to vote, Roy claimed that “there’s no barriers at all to married women being able to vote” with the SAVE America Act.
Roy’s acknowledgement in the video differs sharply from his official messaging.
“Perhaps the most absurd narrative peddled from the left, including twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, is that the SAVE Act will somehow disenfranchise married women, or anyone else who has changed his or her name, from voting in federal elections,” he wrote in an April 2025 press release.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he continued. “The SAVE Act secures all Americans’ votes by ensuring noncitizens do not vote in federal elections, effectively canceling out the votes of citizens, including married women.”
Roy introduced the SAVE Act in Congress this year, as well as in 2024 and 2025.
“Let’s be clear about what this recording reveals: the SAVE America Act’s sponsor knew it would make it harder for married women to vote,” Lauren Groh-Wargo, the CEO of Fair Fight Action, said in a statement to Democracy Docket.
“Congressional Republicans have spent months claiming Democratic legislators ‘think women are too stupid to get an ID.’ This recording proves they know it’s about cost, time, and access,” Groh-Wargo said.
After passing the House last month, the SAVE America Act is currently up for debate in the Senate, where it faces long odds. Despite that, President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the act’s passage, even suggesting blocking all other legislation until it is approved.
While considering previous iterations of the SAVE America Act, congressional Republicans blocked amendments proposed by Democrats intended to make it easier for married women and minorities to register and cast their ballots.
