Camilla Jessen
House approves SAVE America Act in party-line vote.
The US House of Representatives has approved a sweeping election overhaul backed by President Donald Trump, sending the legislation to the Senate where its prospects remain uncertain.
Tight House vote
Lawmakers passed the 32-page SAVE America Act on Wednesday by a vote of 218-213. Republicans voted unanimously in favor, while all but one Democrat opposed it.
Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was the only Democrat to support the bill.
The legislation would require individuals to present documentary proof of US citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. Acceptable documents would include a passport or birth certificate.
It also mandates photo identification for in-person voting and requires voters to submit a copy of an eligible ID when requesting and casting mail-in ballots.
Republican support
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended the bill as a matter of fairness and security.
“It’s just common sense. Americans need an ID to drive, to open a bank account, to buy cold medicine, to file government assistance,” Johnson said. “So why would voting be any different than that?”
Republicans point to polling showing broad public support for voter ID laws. A Pew Research Center survey last August found that 83% of US adults favor requiring government-issued photo identification to vote.
Democratic opposition
Democrats argue the proposal would restrict access to the ballot and is unnecessary, noting that voting by noncitizens is already illegal and rare. Current law requires voters to attest to their citizenship under penalty of criminal prosecution.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called the bill “a desperate effort by Republicans to distract.”
“The so-called SAVE Act is not about voter identification, it is about voter suppression,” Jeffries said.
Democrats have also raised constitutional concerns, citing provisions that give states authority over the administration of federal elections.
Senate hurdles
The bill now moves to the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats. Several GOP senators have expressed reservations.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she does not support federal mandates on elections, recalling Republican opposition to similar proposals in 2021. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she supported an earlier version but has concerns about the revised bill.
Even if the measure secures a simple majority, it would need 60 votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the proposal is “dead on arrival.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Republicans are holding a “robust” discussion but acknowledged there are not enough votes to eliminate the filibuster.
Sources: NBC News, Pew Research Center
