I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4174 
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require an indi-
vidual to provide proof that the individual is a citizen of the United 
States as a condition of registering to vote in elections for Federal 
office, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 20, 2004 
Mr. GINGREY (for himself, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. SAM JOHNSON 
of Texas, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, and Mr. TANCREDO) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administra-
tion 
A BILL 
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to 
require an individual to provide proof that the individual 
is a citizen of the United States as a condition of reg-
istering to vote in elections for Federal office, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Voter Citizenship 
Verification Act’’.
SEC. 2. PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED FOR VOTER 
REGISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 9(b) of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–7(b)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘may require’’ 
and inserting ‘‘consistent with paragraph (5), may 
require’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); 
(3) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) shall require the applicant to provide a 
photographic copy of any document which provides 
proof that the applicant is a citizen of the United 
States, which may not include a motor vehicle driv-
er’s license unless the State issuing the license re-
quired the applicant to provide proof of the appli-
cant’s United States citizenship as a condition of re-
ceiving the license.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to the regularly 
scheduled general election for Federal office held in No-
vember 2004 and each succeeding election for Federal of-
fice. 
SEC. 3. PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED FOR CASTING 
BALLOT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 303 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15483) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (d) and (e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(c) REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP AT POLL-
ING PLACE.— 
‘‘(1) INDIVIDUALS
VOTING
IN
PERSON.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the appro-
priate State or local election official may not provide 
a ballot for an election for Federal office (including 
a provisional ballot under section 302(a)) to an indi-
vidual who desires to vote in person unless the indi-
vidual presents to the official a photographic copy of 
any document which provides proof that the indi-
vidual is a citizen of the United States. 
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS VOTING BY MAIL.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the appropriate 
State or local election official may not accept any 
ballot for an election for Federal office provided by
an individual who votes by mail unless the individual 
submits with the ballot a photographic copy of any 
document which provides proof that the individual is 
a citizen of the United States. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION
FOR
INDIVIDUALS
WITH 
PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP ON FILE WITH ELECTION 
OFFICIAL.—Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply 
in the case of an individual who, at the time the in-
dividual applied to register to vote in Federal elec-
tions in the State involved, provided the appropriate 
State election official with a photographic copy of a 
document which provided proof that the individual is 
a citizen of the United States. 
‘‘(4) TREATMENT OF DRIVER’S LICENSES.—For 
purposes of this subsection, a motor vehicle driver’s 
license shall not be treated as a document which 
provides proof that the individual to whom the li-
cense is issued is a citizen of the United States un-
less the State issuing the license required the indi-
vidual to provide proof of the individual’s United 
States citizenship as a condition of receiving the li-
cense.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 303 of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 15483) is amended in the heading
by striking ‘‘FOR VOTERS WHO REGISTER BY MAIL’’ 
and inserting ‘‘FOR PREVENTING VOTING FRAUD’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by amending the item relating to 
section 303 to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 303. Computerized statewide voter registration list requirements and re-
quirements for preventing voting fraud.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 303(e) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 15483(e)), as redesignated by subsection 
(a)(1), is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP.—Subsection (c) 
shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled 
general election for Federal office held in November 
2004 and each succeeding election for Federal of-
fice.’’. 
Æ