By Emmanuel Bobby
President Donald Trump on July 27 asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a lower court order that blocked key provisions of his executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting rules.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) not to allow the Senate to “leave town” until the legislation is approved.
As an alternative, Trump suggested Republicans eliminate the legislative filibuster, arguing it would allow them to pass the SAVE America Act, the federal budget, and address the nation’s debt ceiling with a simple majority.
Trump has pushed Republicans to pass the legislation for months. Although the House of Representatives approved the bill earlier this year, it has failed to advance in the Senate.
Thune has acknowledged that Republicans currently do not have enough votes to pass the bill or eliminate the filibuster. The proposed legislation would require proof of U.S. citizenship for new voter registrations, mandate photo identification for voting, and place additional restrictions on mail-in ballots in certain situations nationwide.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dismissed the proposal in a July 27 post on X, declaring that the SAVE America Act is “dead on arrival” in the Senate and “will not pass—not now, not ever.” Democrats argue the bill could suppress voter participation by creating additional barriers to voting.
Several Senate conservatives backed Trump’s call to delay the August recess. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) posted, “No results, NO RECESS. Pass SAVE America NOW!”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who introduced the legislation, also said he would oppose any effort to adjourn the Senate before lawmakers vote on the bill.
Concerns Over Noncitizen Voting
The renewed push comes amid recent debate over noncitizen voter registration.
On July 17, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced that New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, and Nevada had more than 250,000 noncitizens registered to vote, claiming New Jersey alone could have as many as 35,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls.
On July 21, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill responded by saying more than 6,600 noncitizens had been mistakenly registered because of an alleged software error and that fewer than 400 had actually voted.
Earlier, on June 24, Trump postponed a planned signing ceremony for a federal housing bill, insisting the SAVE America Act should be passed first.
“The Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE America Act, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Although Congress had already approved the housing legislation, it later became law without Trump’s signature.
Trump argued the housing measure “pales in comparison” to the importance of passing the SAVE America Act.
Support and Opposition
House conservatives have continued urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to increase pressure on the Senate to consider the bill.
Trump has described the legislation as a “common sense” measure that would require photo identification and proof of citizenship for voter registration to ensure that only eligible Americans cast ballots.
Critics, however, argue the proposal would make voting more difficult for millions of eligible Americans by requiring documents such as a U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate to register.
While Senate Democrats remain firmly opposed to the bill, its path forward among Senate Republicans also remains uncertain.
As an alternative strategy, Republicans are pursuing a grant-based program that would provide incentives for states to adopt election security measures similar to those outlined in the SAVE America Act.
Original article
Comments