The House passed a revised election integrity bill requiring proof of citizenship and voter ID, with only one Democrat joining Republicans in support.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The House of Representatives approved a revised version of the SAVE America Act on Wednesday evening in a 216-213 vote, advancing a Trump-backed election integrity proposal with support from all voting Republicans and one Democrat.
The legislation would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, mandate voter identification at polling locations, and prohibit mail-only voter registration. Republican lawmakers have said the measure is intended to strengthen federal election safeguards, while Democrats argued it would create obstacles for eligible voters.
Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar was the only Democrat to vote in favor of the bill, breaking from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the rest of his caucus.
Democrats contended that documentation requirements could present difficulties for some voters, including married women who have changed their last names and individuals who do not have immediate access to birth certificates. Republicans responded that most states already require voter identification and that such policies have not reduced voter turnout.
The Republican-led House has approved versions of the SAVE Act in previous sessions, but the legislation has stalled in the Senate amid Democratic opposition.
“House Republicans been working hard for years now to ensure the integrity of American elections, because it is essential to maintain a constitutional republic,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday on Fox Business.
Republicans also cited public opinion data showing broad support for voter identification laws. An August survey conducted by Pew Research found that 71% of Democrats support “requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote,” while 95% of Republicans favor such requirements.
“If you need an ID to board a plane, open a bank account, or even to buy certain types of cold medicine, you should need an ID to vote in federal elections,” Republican Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr told the Daily Caller News Foundation following the vote. “Anyone who opposes voter ID to safeguard the integrity of our elections is anti-American.”
Earlier this year, four Democrats — Cuellar, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Ed Case of Hawaii — voted in favor of a previous version of the legislation in April 2025.
President Donald Trump endorsed the SAVE America Act on Sunday and reiterated his broader position on voting procedures. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!).”
The president has urged Republican lawmakers to advance the bill to his desk for signature, though its path forward in the Senate remains uncertain.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has repeatedly described voter identification requirements as comparable to racist “Jim Crow type laws” that would disenfranchise Black and Hispanic Americans. Republican lawmakers have disputed that claim, arguing that such requirements are widely supported and already in place across many states.
The measure encountered additional resistance Tuesday when Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced she would vote against the proposal, complicating its prospects in the closely divided Senate.
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