The Senate on Tuesday voted 51-48 to begin extended floor consideration of the SAVE America Act, a voting bill championed by former President Trump that faces long odds of passage in the 100-member chamber. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined Democrats in opposing the procedural motion to start debate.
Senate GOP leaders, who control 53 seats, have acknowledged they lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. Rather than attempt a “talking” filibuster or immediately cut off debate, Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate would hold an expansive, open debate this week and allow ample time for amendments and speeches. Lawmakers spoke for hours Tuesday before adjourning for the night; more lengthy sessions and amendment fights are expected.
Conservatives have long supported the bill, which would require proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID showing citizenship to cast a ballot. If a voter’s ID does not indicate citizenship, the measure would require separate proof unless a state has certified its voter roll to the federal government as verified. The legislation would also direct states to identify registrants who are not citizens and take other steps to limit registration to U.S. citizens.
Republicans describe the measure as commonsense safeguards; public-opinion surveys before the 2024 election showed strong support for voter ID and citizenship verification among many Americans. But critics, including Democrats and voting rights experts, warn the law could disenfranchise millions lacking passports, birth certificates or other documents, or who have changed names. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill an effort to make voting harder and accused Republicans of trying to use the bill to tilt future elections. Democrats say they generally support voter ID in principle but contend the SAVE America Act goes much further, risking large-scale purges of voter rolls.
Trump has pressed Republicans to pass the bill, threatened to withhold his signature on other measures until it clears Congress, and urged ways to get around the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. He has also tied the SAVE Act to other priorities he supports, including bans on universal mail-in voting and restrictions on transgender athletes and gender-affirming care for minors. Trump has said passage would help ensure Republican electoral success, an assertion Democrats dispute.
The Biden administration and federal officials have sought comprehensive voter registration lists from states; advocacy groups and the Justice Department have been engaged in disputes and litigation with several states over access to those rolls. How Democrats will use the extended floor time — whether to block or force votes on politically sensitive amendments — remains unclear. GOP leaders have signaled they expect continued unified Democratic opposition as the debate unfolds.