ATLANTA - Some lawmakers are criticizing a proposal that would require presidential candidates to provide proof that they were born in the United States before gaining access to the ballot.
Rep. Mark Hatfield presented the bill to a House subcommittee Wednesday and said the proposal settles a long-standing issue while enforcing the U.S. Constitution. Hatfield, a Republican attorney from Waycross, said he doesn't know whether President Barack Obama is eligible to serve as president - a contention held by so-called "birthers."
Democratic Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan said she was disgusted by the proposal.
"I don't think it's wise to move forward with this bill," Morgan said. "It is racially and politically divisive. We have a new governor and a new speaker who is trying to unite us as a House."
Hatfield introduced the bill earlier this week and has gotten support from 92 of his GOP colleagues and one Democrat - indicating it has the votes to pass in the House. But whether the bill will see a House vote is unclear, as House Speaker David Ralston said his focus is on issues including job growth and the economy.
"What we're trying to do is to prioritize where our energies can be best spent," Ralston said, citing legislation addressing water, the HOPE scholarship, tax reform and the budget. "We're going to continue to focus on those and we'll just have to wait and see how all this works out before we're finished."
Ralston said the president's citizenship is not an issue for him.
"He is the duly elected president of the United States," Ralston said. "Period."
Still, Ralston said he hoped the issue would not be one that divided lawmakers and does not believe that was the intent of the bill.
"Rep. Hatfield feels very strongly about this issue and I think his intentions were to make sure that this particular issue would quit being a distraction," Ralston said. "I would hope we're not at a point where discussion of issues like this would be divisive."
During the hearing, which lasted nearly an hour, Hatfield said the issue predates Obama, though he would be impacted by the legislation if it were to pass and he ran for re-election. Hatfield cited President Chester Arthur - who served from 1881 to 1885 and was rumored to have been born in Canada - and former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who was born on a military installation in the Panama Canal zone.
"We have a situation in our country right now that is unnecessary," Hatfield said.
Rep. Tyrone Brooks of Atlanta said McCain's citizenship would not have been an issue had he been elected president.
"We know this is about Barack Obama," Brooks said.
The subcommittee is expected to resume debate on the proposal as soon as Thursday.
Monday
June 23rd, 2025
5:07AM
