President Donald Trump and Republican allies demand voting restrictions including proof of citizenship requirements, citing election security concerns. However, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, or EAC— the sole federal agency dedicated to election security— faces severe budget cuts.
Congressional funding for EAC election security grants has plummeted from $425 million in 2020 to just $45 million in 2026. Now, House Republicans propose reducinging both the grant program to $15 million and the EAC's overall budget by 30%.
Democrats and election officials warn this exposes a gap between GOP rhetoric on election tampering and actual funding commitments. Election officials across states need approximately $400 million annually for cybersecurity, equipment upgrades, and infrastructure improvements.
The House Appropriations Committee bill demonstrates Republicans prioritizing noncitizen voting restrictions —an extremely rare occurrence— over concrete security measures.
Election officials emphasize, security requires year-round funding, not episodic resources tied only to presidential cycles.
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