Johnson Pushes Final Bid for Trump's Voter ID Bill Amidst Standoff

House Speaker Mike Johnson is making what he calls a 'possibly final' attempt to pass a simpler version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, a bill backed by Donald Trump that would demand proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot. This marks the fourth time Congress will consider the controversial bill, which has cleared the House multiple times but repeatedly stalled in the Senate. This push comes after a recent attempt to attach the SAVE Act to a must-pass defense spending bill failed, leading to an early July 4th recess for the House due to disagreements among Republicans. The original SAVE Act, first introduced in 2024, aims to prevent non-citizens from voting, a crime already illegal since 1996, but critics argue it would create new hurdles for millions of eligible Americans who lack easy access to specific documents like passports or birth certificates. Many fear the bill would especially affect married women, rural voters, and low-income individuals, and could severely punish election officials for mistakes. Now, Johnson plans to use the special 'budget reconciliation procedure' to bypass the usual 60-vote hurdle in the Senate, hoping a simple majority will be enough to finally get the bill to Donald Trump desk. However, this strategy faces challenges under the Senate Byrd Rule, which limits what can be included in such a bill. The ongoing struggle highlights deep divisions over voting access and election security as the US heads into upcoming elections.