Last night Congressman Chip Roy’s (R-TX-21) and Senator Mike Lee’s (R-UT) SAVE America Act (S. 1383) passed the House of Representatives. There is no reason for the Senate to further delay on passage of the SAVE America Act. The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121, call today to demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune and all Senate Republicans force passage of this essential legislation.
The SAVE America Act, an enhanced version of the popular SAVE Act, would protect and preserve the right of American citizens to vote by:
In a statement released to CHQ after the bill passed Rep. Chip Roy said, “I’m grateful for the House’s passage of the SAVE America Act and want to thank my co-author in the Senate, Mike Lee, the Republican Leadership team including Chairman Steil, and my good friend Cleta Mitchell for all their hard work getting this bill across the finish line. This legislation is a critical step toward restoring election integrity by ensuring only U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections and are showing ID. Over eighty percent of Americans—across party lines and across racial groups—support voter ID because it’s simple, reasonable, and common sense. I now call on the Senate to bring back the talking filibuster and force Democrats to explain to the American people why they oppose a basic election safeguard that enjoys broad bipartisan support.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), the lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate, has also advocated forcing the Democrats to engage in a “talking filibuster” gain Senate passage of the bill.
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has said he wants to put the SAVE America Act on the floor but has made clear that there is not “anywhere near close” to enough support for using the “nuclear option” on the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to advance the legislation with only Republican votes.
And he has signaled reluctance to the idea of using the “talking filibuster,” because it has an “opportunity cost” in that it “ties up the floor indefinitely.”
“Is there another way of getting there? We’ll see,” Thune said this week, according to reporting in The Hill.
The measure also doesn’t have unanimous support among Senate Republicans, reported The Hill’s Emily Brooks.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) on Wednesday became the first Senate Republican to speak out against passing the bill.
“When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed. Now, I’m seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively do just that,” she wrote in a statement posted to social media.
“Once again, I do not support these efforts,” she added, according to Ms. Brooks’ reporting.
In response conservatives have started eyeing other avenues to try to force the Senate to act on the bill.
Senate Democrats, with the exception of Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, won’t support the legislation. That means without a talking filibuster the 60-vote filibuster threshold is, for now, an impossible barrier to breach.
Democratic resistance and moderate GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's rejection of the legislation leave only two obvious options, which Lee and others pitched to their colleagues — nuke the filibuster or turn to the standing, or talking, filibuster.
Or go a third route suggested by Rep. Anna Laulina Luna and other House conservatives – attach the Save America Act to a “must pass” bill, like the National Defense Authorization Act.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has already declared the bill “dead on arrival,” yet a Pew Research Center survey published last year found that 83 percent of U.S. adults support requiring government‑issued photo identification to vote, including majorities of Democrats and Black voters.
With Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s endorsement of proof of citizenship and voter ID there is no reason for further delay on passing the SAVE America Act. The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121, call today to demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune and all Senate Republicans force passage of this essential legislation.
The SAVE America Act, an enhanced version of the popular SAVE Act, would protect and preserve the right of American citizens to vote by:
- Requiring individuals to present an eligible photo identification document before voting. (NEW provision)
- Requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – when registering an individual to vote. (From original SAVE Act)
- Requiring states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls. (From original SAVE Act)
In a statement released to CHQ after the bill passed Rep. Chip Roy said, “I’m grateful for the House’s passage of the SAVE America Act and want to thank my co-author in the Senate, Mike Lee, the Republican Leadership team including Chairman Steil, and my good friend Cleta Mitchell for all their hard work getting this bill across the finish line. This legislation is a critical step toward restoring election integrity by ensuring only U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections and are showing ID. Over eighty percent of Americans—across party lines and across racial groups—support voter ID because it’s simple, reasonable, and common sense. I now call on the Senate to bring back the talking filibuster and force Democrats to explain to the American people why they oppose a basic election safeguard that enjoys broad bipartisan support.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), the lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate, has also advocated forcing the Democrats to engage in a “talking filibuster” gain Senate passage of the bill.
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has said he wants to put the SAVE America Act on the floor but has made clear that there is not “anywhere near close” to enough support for using the “nuclear option” on the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to advance the legislation with only Republican votes.
And he has signaled reluctance to the idea of using the “talking filibuster,” because it has an “opportunity cost” in that it “ties up the floor indefinitely.”
“Is there another way of getting there? We’ll see,” Thune said this week, according to reporting in The Hill.
The measure also doesn’t have unanimous support among Senate Republicans, reported The Hill’s Emily Brooks.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) on Wednesday became the first Senate Republican to speak out against passing the bill.
“When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed. Now, I’m seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively do just that,” she wrote in a statement posted to social media.
“Once again, I do not support these efforts,” she added, according to Ms. Brooks’ reporting.
In response conservatives have started eyeing other avenues to try to force the Senate to act on the bill.
Senate Democrats, with the exception of Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, won’t support the legislation. That means without a talking filibuster the 60-vote filibuster threshold is, for now, an impossible barrier to breach.
Democratic resistance and moderate GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's rejection of the legislation leave only two obvious options, which Lee and others pitched to their colleagues — nuke the filibuster or turn to the standing, or talking, filibuster.
Or go a third route suggested by Rep. Anna Laulina Luna and other House conservatives – attach the Save America Act to a “must pass” bill, like the National Defense Authorization Act.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has already declared the bill “dead on arrival,” yet a Pew Research Center survey published last year found that 83 percent of U.S. adults support requiring government‑issued photo identification to vote, including majorities of Democrats and Black voters.
With Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s endorsement of proof of citizenship and voter ID there is no reason for further delay on passing the SAVE America Act. The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121, call today to demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune and all Senate Republicans force passage of this essential legislation.
