Senator Mike Lee is pushing Senate Republicans to "do the hard work" to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a voter ID bill championed by President Trump. The bill, which passed the House, faces Senate gridlock.
The push to pass the SAVE America Act highlights ongoing partisan divisions over election integrity measures and the strategic use of legislative tools like the filibuster in the Senate.
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) stated on Sunday that Senate Republicans must undertake the "hard work" necessary to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a voter identification bill that President Trump has designated as his legislative priority.
Lee told Fox News Sunday that the bill, which passed the House in February, makes "it easy to vote, hard to cheat." He expressed confidence that if the bill were brought to the floor for debate, it could pass, even without majority support. He suggested debating the bill for weeks, including through weekends and recesses, until it passes.
The SAVE America Act mandates that individuals show proof of citizenship to register to vote and present identification to cast a ballot. Democrats have raised concerns that the bill could disenfranchise college students and married women, and potentially discourage voters of color.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) recently indicated that there are insufficient votes to overcome the filibuster and pass the SAVE America Act. President Trump has publicly called on Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster's 60-vote threshold to ensure the bill's passage.
In a related development, Trump paused the nomination of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence, urging Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act and reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. However, House Republicans are reportedly divided on this strategy, with Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.) calling the idea of linking Section 702 renewal to the SAVE America Act a "Hail Mary" and suggesting Trump misunderstands Senate dynamics.