Cruz is seeking to amend the Senate immigration bill. | John Shinkle/POLITICO Cruz measure would OK voter ID laws

Ted Cruz didn’t wait long to mount a legislative response to the Supreme Court’s ruling against Arizona’s voter registration rule.

An amendment submitted by the Texas senator on Monday afternoon to the Senate’s immigration bill would “permit states to require proof of citizenship for registration to vote in elections for federal office.” Cruz’s measure would amend the National Voter Registration Act.


“Today #SCOTUS ruled federal ‘Motor Voter’ law preempts AZ proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration,” Cruz said on Twitter. “I’ll file amendment to immigration bill that permits states to require ID before registering voters & close this hole in fed statutory law.”

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Cruz worked quickly: About two hours later, his amendment had already been filed — it’s one of several dozen that lawmakers are trying to get attached to the immigration overhaul as Senate leaders negotiate which ones get time on the Senate floor. It is Cruz’s first amendment to the immigration bill and the proposal didn’t initially garner any co-sponsors.