Vice President J.D. Vance supported House Republicans’ plan to pass the SAVE America Act. But one Republican called the effort a “waste of time.”
Could the SAVE America Act actually pass Congress?
President Trump said the SAVE Act would “guarantee” Republican victory in the midterm elections. What does the bill include, and is there a chance it will actually pass?
WASHINGTON – Vice President J.D. Vance emerged from a meeting on Capitol Hill this week with a clear message: “Republicans have a plan for the SAVE America Act.”
Whether that plan is realistic is another matter.
The vice president, flanked by Mike Johnson, insisted the White House supports the House speaker’s strategy to approve voting restriction legislation, a top priority of President Donald Trump. Hours earlier, the Republican-led Budget Committee outlined a roughly $100 billion package, with up to $10 billion set aside for election-related purposes. Most of the money will go to the Pentagon to offset losses from the Iran war, and another $12 billion will go toward agricultural aid.
“What we’re doing with this bill is making ‘SAVE America’ a reality, and of course getting critical support for our military and our farmers,” Vance told reporters after a meeting with House Republicans. “We thought this was the best vehicle to accomplish those three things.”
But many other Republicans, even those most vocal about overhauling election laws, disagree.
The intraparty dispute, combined with the long-standing nature of Mr. Johnson’s legislative strategy and fading timeline, has openly divided the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections. And this dysfunction, already in the 11th hour of the 119th Congress, is putting other urgent legislative work at risk, including bipartisan priorities and critical government funding bills that many Americans rely on.
‘Not enough’ for House critics
Meanwhile, some House Republicans say Republican leadership isn’t doing enough.
It is a very different version of it, the details of which are still being worked out, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is looking to pass SAVE as part of his Budget. Budget bills require only a simple majority in the Senate and can be passed along party lines, but special rules apply that they must primarily affect fiscal issues. If a law violates these rules, the Senate must kill it.
Mr. Johnson and his leaders suggested there are creative ways to get around that obstacle. The money could go toward grants to encourage states to enact SAVE components, such as requiring voter ID and citizenship documents to vote and restricting mail-in voting.
So far, the White House has said it is comfortable moving forward with watered-down measures. But it wasn’t enough to satisfy SAVE’s other Capitol Hill supporters, such as Rep. Eric Burleson (R-Missouri).
“It’s not enough to have weak words,” he says. “If we just give millions of dollars to ourselves, it doesn’t do the state any good.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated on Thursday, July 23, that he hopes the House of Commons will pass the Budget in its entirety before it goes into recess for August. The short timeline will make that effort difficult.
“Waste of time,” says Tillis.
There is also notable opposition in the Senate.
Many Republican senators have expressed skepticism about whether Mr. Johnson’s version of SAVE could survive the House’s budget rules. Still, it may be difficult to get enough votes.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) said he would refuse to vote in favor of the larger budget if it included the SAVE element.
“It’ll slow you down on other things, too,” he warned. “It’s a waste of time and a waste of time.”
It can be a big problem when even one senator, especially one in the majority, threatens to obstruct the Senate’s legislative work.
And time is of the essence. Like the House, the Senate will be in recess for most of August and October. Meanwhile, September is likely to be dominated by government funding battles and the confirmation of several top Trump Cabinet nominees, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and spy director nominee Jay Clayton. In the meantime, many senators will be in campaign mode as November approaches.
Rep. Josh Brechen (R-Okla.), a member of the House Budget Committee who voted to advance the latest SAVE plan, said he hopes the Senate “does not waste this opportunity.”
“This package is designed with the United States Senate in mind,” he wrote in a July 16 social media post. “The Senate must follow the House’s lead and immediately pass the SAVE America Act in its entirety.”
Zachary Schermele is USA TODAY’s Congressional Correspondent. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
