“Citizenship verification cannot be fully fixed by the states. That problem was created in Washington — and it must be fixed in Washington.” Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arlington, VA — Feb. 26, 2026 — Earlier this week Election Transparency Initiative (ETI) National Chairman Ken Cuccinelli, participated in the House Administration Committee’s expert roundtable on H.R. 7300, the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act, hosted by Chairman Bryan Steil.
The MEGA Act establishes baseline federal standards for the administration of federal elections, including photo voter ID, citizenship verification at registration, strengthened voter list maintenance, paper ballot requirements, bans on ballot harvesting and universal mail voting, and a prohibition on partisan federal agency voter registration activity.
Cuccinelli, a former state attorney general, emphasized the constitutional distinction between what must occur at the state level and what can only be remedied by Congress.
“As a former state attorney general, I focus on the difference between what must happen at the state level and what must happen at the federal level,” Cuccinelli said. “Citizenship verification cannot be fully fixed by the states. Federal court interpretations of federal law have tied their hands. That problem was created in Washington — and it must be fixed in Washington.”
Cuccinelli noted that the MEGA Act properly addresses two categories of reforms that require federal action:
1. Citizenship Verification at Registration
The legislation requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and mandates regular voter list maintenance, including the removal of noncitizens.
“States are powerless to fully correct this on their own,” Cuccinelli said. “Congress and the President must clarify and correct federal law so that citizenship verification is enforceable and uniform for federal elections.”
2. Prohibition on Federal Agency Political Activity (“Biden Bucks”)
The MEGA Act prohibits federal agencies from conducting voter registration activities using taxpayer funds.
“In no world should the federal government participate in partisan election activity,” Cuccinelli said. “When federal agencies put their thumb on the scale, it undermines public confidence. The only place that can fix that is Capitol Hill.”
The MEGA Act includes additional federal-election standards designed to restore public trust, including:
- Requiring verifiable paper ballots
- Prohibiting ballot harvesting
- Banning ranked choice voting in federal general elections
- Ending universal vote-by-mail for federal elections
- Requiring absentee ballots to be received by the close of polls on Election Day
“The MEGA Act restores Americans’ trust by implementing clear baseline standards for federal elections,” Cuccinelli said. “It makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat — and it fixes the specific weaknesses in federal law that only Congress has the authority to correct.”
Chairman Steil convened the roundtable to gather input from leading election integrity experts on how H.R. 7300 can strengthen transparency and public confidence in federal elections. Cuccinelli thanked the Committee for addressing what he called “revealed problems in federal law that states cannot solve on their own.”
The Election Transparency Initiative supports prompt consideration and passage of H.R. 7300.
Following the President’s State of the Union address, Cuccinelli responded to the President’s call to pass the SAVE Act by urging Senate Leader Thune to act decisively:
“To be clear, the President said, ‘Get it passed.’ That means a talking filibuster. An overwhelming majority of Americans expect action on the SAVE Act and real federal election reforms — not procedural games. We are very encouraged in recent days to hear Senate Leader Thune talking supportively about forcing those Democrats that oppose voter I.D. and ensuring only American citizens vote in American elections to defend their positions in a talking filibuster.”
About the Election Transparency Initiative
The Election Transparency Initiative, a partnership between the American Principles Project (APP) and Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, was organized to combat federal H.R. 1 and H.R. 4 legislation and advocate for election reforms that voters can trust. ETI advocates for practical reforms that enhance transparency, accountability, and public confidence in America’s elections. Ken Cuccinelli is the National Chairman of ETI and previously served as Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and Attorney General of Virginia.
Media Availability
ETI Chairman Ken Cuccinelli is available for interviews regarding the SAVE Act and federal election integrity reforms. Members of the media may submit interview requests at: https://electiontransparency.org/contact/
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