As Senate Republicans gear up to vote on the SAVE America Act this week, Democrats continue to oppose the voter-ID proposal firmly endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Although House Republicans advanced one version of the bill in February, largely on party lines, they still require 60 votes in the Senate to overcome the filibuster. With a majority of only 53-47, Senate Republicans cannot move the legislation forward without support from Democratic counterparts, unless they amend the filibuster rules.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated on Thursday that he would present the legislation for a vote this week to “put Democrats on record.”
As various versions of the legislation are in circulation, it is uncertain which one Thune intends to bring to the Senate floor for a vote next week.
“We still don’t know what Thune’s next steps are… but we’re ready for any eventuality,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York remarked to reporters Sunday afternoon during a press conference.
“My caucus is strongly convinced that this would be extremely damaging… one of the most significant setbacks in our country’s voting history,” he added.
Opposition to the SAVE America Act
The recently passed bill in the House would obligate Americans to demonstrate citizenship, such as through a certified birth certificate or passport, to register for federal elections. Additionally, it would enforce photo ID requirements for voting in person or via mail.
If implemented, the legislation could lead to “widespread voter suppression” for individuals unable to meet the requirements, according to Marc Elias, founder of the voter rights group Democracy Docket, who also addressed reporters during the Sunday conference.
The majority of people do not possess a passport, and in truth, the majority do not have easy access to an original or certified copy of a birth certificate.Marc EliasFounder of Democracy Docket
“The majority of people do not possess a passport, and in truth, the majority do not have easy access to an original or certified copy of a birth certificate,” he stated.
Approximately 21 million Americans lack readily available documents to verify their citizenship, and 2.6 million Americans do not possess government-issued photo IDs, according to findings from the Brennan Center for Justice and the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement.
During fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued about 27.3 million passports, which included approximately 4.5 million passport cards, as per the latest statistics.
The bill that passed in February would additionally require each state to regularly submit a list of eligible voters to the Department of Homeland Security to identify non-citizens and remove them from the voting rolls.
“What they are attempting here is just outrageous, and it has my caucus extremely motivated to do everything within our power to halt it,” Schumer stated during the Sunday call. “This is merely a manipulative strategy by Donald Trump to hijack the election.”
CNBC sought comments from the White House in response to criticisms from Schumer and voting rights activists regarding the legislation.
The anticipated vote on the SAVE America Act next week occurs less than eight months before the November midterm elections, which could jeopardize Republican dominance in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Recently, Trump has increasingly concentrated on the elections, insisting that Republicans should “nationalize” elections, and that he could instate voter-ID mandates via executive order. Trump has also emphasized the urgency of implementing the SAVE America Act.
“It needs to happen immediately. It takes precedence over all else. MUST BE PRIORITIZED,” he declared in a Truth Social post last week. “As President, I will not approve other Bills until this gets passed.”
— Reporting by CNBC’s Justin Papp contributed to this article
