On Sunday, a leading Republican senator called on party leaders to rally support for a proof-of-citizenship voting bill, despite President Trump’s criticism that the measure is too “watered-down” and his promise to block it.
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, who co-sponsored the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, expressed optimism that the bill could advance even though Republicans currently lack the 60 votes necessary for Senate approval. He suggested that employing the budget reconciliation process might offer a viable path forward.
“I would use reconciliation,” Kennedy stated during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.” He referenced the complex procedure, typically reserved for significant budget-related matters, which Republicans previously utilized to pass their significant One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
However, Kennedy admitted, “I’m in a minority” regarding this strategy. He described his persistent efforts to persuade Senate Majority Leader John Thune, likening it to chasing someone who “stole Thanksgiving,” to consider reconciliation as an ideal approach for this bill.
Unlike conventional Senate legislation that requires a 60-vote majority to bypass filibusters, a reconciliation bill can be approved with a simple majority of 51 votes.
Unlike normal Senate legislation, which is subject to the 60-vote filibuster, a reconciliation bill could pass with a simple majority of 51.
It’s not clear whether the Senate parliamentarian will allow Republicans to pass the SAVE Act through reconciliation because it’s not a budgetary item. The SAVE Act already cleared the House.
But Trump threatened Sunday to put a blockade on legislation from Congress until a beefed-up version of the bill, known as the SAVE America Act, gets to his desk.
The SAVE America Act goes further than the original SAVE Act bill by requiring states to send their voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security in addition to requiring proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote.
“It must be done immediately. It supersedes everything else,” Trump posted on Truth Social about passing the SAVE America Act.
“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION – GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY – ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL.”
As with the SAVE Act, the souped-up SAVE America Act has also cleared the House. The Senate is the hang-up.
While it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, Republicans have argued that such legislation is necessary for enforcement.
States aren’t able to implement proof-of-citizenship requirements on their own thanks to the Supreme Court’s 2013 Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona decision.
Democrats have railed against the push for iterations of the SAVE Act, especially the SAVE America Act, arguing that it would make it harder for newly married women to vote because of their last name change.
