Trump Urges House GOP to End SAVE America Act Standoff

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President Donald Trump said some House Republicans are playing into the Democrats' hands by stalling House business until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, the GOP-backed voter ID bill.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is leading a coalition of Republicans in the lower chamber to block consideration of any bill until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls. It also would tighten restrictions on mail-in ballots.

"House Republicans should unify, and stop voting down 'Rules' or, threatening to do so," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday night after meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. "Giving power to the Radical Left Dumocrats in the House to control what goes up for a Vote will make our outcomes worse, not better. No more grandstanding, please! They are the Dumocrats, and we can't let them WIN!"

Luna told Newsmax on Wednesday night that "there will be no votes on the House floor this week. We have a coalition that's formed of myself and other Republicans that are holding true to their word, to their voters, that we want voter ID."

House GOP leadership punted on a scheduled procedural rule vote Wednesday as the GOP coalition threatened to bring the floor to a standstill. By Thursday, there was no resolution in sight, forcing Johnson to cancel votes Friday and send the House home for the week without voting on the procedural measure to allow the chamber to resume legislative business.

En route to meet Trump, Johnson told reporters, according to the Washington Examiner, "We're in an era with small margins and small majorities, and we've got to get things moving."

"We passed the SAVE Act three times in the House," Johnson said. "We'll do it again. We're working on that, and I'm going to talk with the president about these issues and how to get the agenda moving again, and it's going to be very productive."

House GOP leaders have been unable to advance key legislation, including two appropriations bills this week. The blockade also threatens consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act next week if the impasse continues.

Johnson has floated including the SAVE America Act in a reconciliation package, which needs only simple majorities in both chambers to pass. But Luna has said that's a non-starter because Senate reconciliation rules generally prohibit non-budgetary provisions.

Luna wrote Thursday night on X that the blockade will end if the SAVE America Act is attached to the NDAA or legislation renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

"Attach SAVE America to FISA or NDAA," Luna wrote. "Suggesting Reconciliation is an insult to our intelligence, everyone knows that will NEVER work. If @SpeakerJohnson wants us to open the House floor, these are the only options."

Michael Katz

Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.

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