House Republicans Demand Senate Act on SAVE Act After Nearly 300 Days of Stalling
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly 300 days after the House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, the legislation remains stalled in the Senate with no committee markup scheduled.
Now, the Republican Study Committee’s Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26) is leading House Republicans in an effort to force the issue, directly calling on Senate Rules Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell to schedule an immediate markup in the Rules and Administration Committee. The letter highlights how the legislation passed the House with bipartisan support and enjoys nearly unanimous backing among Senate Republicans.
Rep. Gill's letter calls on Senator McConnell to immediately schedule a markup so the SAVE Act can advance to the Senate floor before the 2026 midterms. With Majority Leader Thune stating the bill must go through committee before receiving a floor vote, the letter targets the key roadblock preventing the legislation from moving forward.
"American elections should be fair and free, not subject to foreign influence. Illegal aliens have no right to be in America, and they certainly shouldn’t be voting,” said Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26). “House Republicans are united behind the SAVE Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to pass this legislation and get it to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”
"The House did our job nearly 300 days ago. The Senate needs to do theirs," said RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11). "We're already a full year into the 119th Congress. The American people sent us here to get things done, not to make excuses. The Senate needs to stop stalling on this commonsense election integrity bill and get it to the floor. Rep. Gill's letter is exactly the pressure we need to get this to President Trump's desk."
Background:
The SAVE Act requires states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship before registering an individual to vote in federal elections. The legislation addresses concerns by conservative activists like Scott Presler and others who have highlighted vulnerabilities in state voter registration systems and the need for clear verification standards that ensure only American citizens participate in American elections.
According to an October 2024 Gallup poll, an overwhelming 83 percent of American voters support requiring people who register to vote to provide proof of citizenship. Despite this broad public mandate and strong Republican support in both chambers, the legislation has been blocked in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee since its passage in the House nearly 300 days ago. No Republican voted against the bill in the House, and it received bipartisan support from four Democrats.