This bill matters because it would fundamentally change a part of the U.S. immigration system that has been in place for decades. The Diversity Immigrant Program was created to promote diversity in the immigrant population and provide an opportunity for people from countries not well-represented in existing immigration flows. Ending it would mean that future immigrants would primarily come through family-based or employment-based channels.

Voters should care because this change reflects different philosophies on who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. If this bill passes, the U.S. would shift further away from a system that explicitly values diversity of origin, potentially impacting the cultural mix of the country. If it doesn't pass, the program would continue to provide a pathway for tens of thousands of immigrants from diverse backgrounds each year.