House passes Trump-backed voter ID bill requiring citizenship proof and photo identification
The Republican-controlled chamber approved the SAVE America Act 218-213, with one Democrat voting yes. The bill now faces a difficult path in the Senate.
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The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act on Wednesday by a vote of 218 to 213, advancing President Donald Trump's signature election bill that would impose new voting requirements across the country.
The legislation would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering and present a valid photo identification at the ballot box. The bill also would significantly curtail mail-in voting and require states to remove noncitizens from their voter rolls, while establishing criminal penalties for registering applicants who fail to present proof of U.S. citizenship.
Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was the only Democrat to vote in favor of the measure, joining all Republicans in support. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., characterized the bill as common sense, stating: "Americans need an ID to drive, to open a bank account, to buy cold medicine and to file for government assistance. So, why would voting be any different than that?"
The bill was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and has been the focus of a pressure campaign from the White House, hard-line congressional Republicans, and online influencers including Elon Musk. President Trump strongly supports the legislation and urged "all Republicans to fight" for it over the weekend, arguing in a Truth Social post that the country's elections are "Rigged, Stolen, and a Laughingstock all over the World."
Democrats and voting rights groups oppose the measure. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it "Jim Crow 2.0." Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., said the bill reflects "the president's wishes that elections be turned over to him and his administration," referring to Trump's recent comments about nationalizing American elections.
The legislation faces significant obstacles in the Senate. Shenna Bellows, Maine's secretary of state and a Democratic candidate for governor, expressed skepticism about Senate passage, stating: "I'm skeptical that the Senate will vote on this bill, because this bill goes farther than the bill they've already sent to the Senate, which it hasn't taken up."
The House previously passed a version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act in 2024 with three Democratic votes. That earlier bill has languished in the Senate without sufficient Democratic support to advance. The current Save America Act expands on the 2024 version by adding a nationwide photo ID requirement.
Currently, 37 of the 50 states already require some form of identification to vote. All voters must register in the electoral system before voting, whether they cast ballots by mail or in person.