Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought met with House Republicans on Tuesday to advocate for a $95 billion budget bill that includes the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The legislation, which previously passed the House in February, aims to implement proof of citizenship for voter registration and federal voter ID standards.
Vought proposed using the budget reconciliation process to bypass potential Democratic opposition in the Senate, a maneuver that allows bills to pass with a simple majority. This approach was previously used by Republicans to pass legislation including the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" and additional funding for immigration enforcement.
The proposed budget bill also includes funding for operations related to the conflict with Iran, aid for U.S. farmers, and resources for states to enhance election integrity measures. However, some fiscal conservatives expressed concerns about the new federal spending without corresponding budget cuts.
Vought addressed these concerns by suggesting that spending cuts could be pursued in a separate budget bill after the current legislation is enacted. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has reportedly made a similar proposal to some lawmakers.
Some House Republicans, including Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), indicated a willingness to support the bill if the SAVE America Act provisions remain intact, with Self stating he was told the current legislation would achieve this goal. However, others, such as Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), voiced strong opposition to increased spending without cuts.
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) expressed skepticism, noting his vote would not be guaranteed without further discussion and stating he lacked confidence that the Senate would preserve the SAVE America Act's language. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) remained undecided, emphasizing the need for a clear plan on war missions and for the new spending to be offset.
Concerns were also raised about the feasibility of passing a fourth reconciliation bill to address spending cuts before the end of the year, given the narrow Republican majority in the House. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) acknowledged uncertainty about the possibility of a fourth bill but reiterated a desire for more spending reductions.
