The House of Representatives advanced a sweeping budget bill on Wednesday that includes the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a key election integrity measure championed by former President Donald Trump. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., secured passage by employing the budget reconciliation process, which allows legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority, bypassing potential Democratic filibusters.
The SAVE America Act, as part of the larger $95 billion budget package, aims to implement election reforms such as federal voter ID rules and a proof-of-citizenship mandate for voter registration. This move represents a significant legislative victory for Johnson, who faced opposition from within his own Republican conference and from Democrats.
The budget bill allocates approximately $10 billion for states to implement election integrity measures under the SAVE America Act. The larger bill also includes $73 billion for U.S. war efforts in Iran and $12 billion for agricultural aid. The reconciliation mechanism, while enabling passage with a simple majority, subjects the legislation to strict fiscal policy guidelines.
Some fiscal conservatives expressed reservations about the $95 billion in new spending without corresponding budget cuts. Representatives like Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Eric Burlison, R-Mo., voiced concerns about the lack of fiscal offsets and the potential for the SAVE America Act's provisions to be altered or removed in the Senate.
Democrats have strongly opposed the SAVE America Act, characterizing it as voter suppression. Republicans, however, maintain that the legislation is intended to bolster confidence in election outcomes. Former President Trump publicly urged House Republicans to vote in favor of the budget resolution, emphasizing its importance for securing elections against foreign interference and illegal alien voting.
Earlier in the week, a software error in New Jersey led to thousands of non-citizens being improperly registered to vote, with nearly 400 casting ballots, highlighting concerns about election security that proponents of the SAVE America Act aim to address. This incident, reported separately, underscores the ongoing debate surrounding voter registration and election integrity in the United States.