Republicans in Congress are working to pass key parts of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act by year’s end. The bill, aimed at election integrity and supported by former President Donald Trump, is opposed by Democrats and has stalled due to Senate leader John Thune’s reluctance to present it for a vote, which is likely to fail.
To pass the legislation, several Democrats would need to support it to meet the Senate’s 60-vote requirement. Democratic lawmakers criticize the bill as potentially fueling doubt in U.S. elections and as voter suppression.
Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana is now encouraging Republicans to use the budget reconciliation process. This approach allows for important fiscal policies to be passed without minority party input and bypasses the Senate filibuster. Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, tasked with overseeing this effort, aims to pass the bill’s measures.
“I’d rather pass the SAVE America Act. But recognizing the Senate might not be able to achieve that with the 60-vote threshold, let’s leverage parliamentary procedure, bring the threshold down to 50, and enact substantial reforms,” Steil told Fox News Digital.
The reconciliation process could pass part of the SAVE America Act before the November midterm elections, though time is running short. Using reconciliation took Republicans about six months to pass Trump’s major legislation last year. Committees must align their policies with fiscal goals before the massive bill can proceed through Congress.
Steil’s focus is on including two elements from the original SAVE America Act: requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration and a nationwide photo ID rule for voting.
Where budget reconciliation becomes complex is with the Senate parliamentarian reviewing the bill to remove actions failing to impact the federal budget or national debt. However, some elements, like impacting funding through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), could align with the reconciliation process.
The Trump administration supports this reconciliation effort. Earlier this year, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought discussed with Republicans about using reconciliation for SAVE America, highlighting it as the optimal path for passing GOP election reforms.
The House passed its reconciliation bill this summer, focusing on the military budget and election security. But the Senate Budget Committee’s framework calls for significantly different spending plans.
The spending difference between the House and Senate reconciliation bills poses a challenge. Speaker Mike Johnson recognizes that more items added to the bill would complicate Senate committee involvement, delaying progress as election day nears.
Johnson stressed that comprehensive and swift action is necessary to ensure election integrity. He remains hopeful for an agreement between the chambers.
“I think, broadly, we’re aligned. The total numbers differ, but everyone sees the importance of ensuring our military has the necessary resources and protecting our elections,” Steil concluded.
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