House Republicans released a budget blueprint on Wednesday to move parts of the Save America Act through reconciliation, a route that could let them press ahead without Democratic support. The plan is tied to a $95 billion party-line spending bill and depends on both the House and the Senate adopting the blueprint first.
Mike Johnson and JD Vance
House Speaker Mike Johnson said after a Wednesday night meeting with Vice President JD Vance and House Republicans, “We’re going to pass the Save America Act into law, as much of that as possible.” Johnson has said the only way to ensure the bill becomes law is to include it in the reconciliation process.
The House Administration Committee would get $10 billion to implement elements of the SAVE America Act under the blueprint. House Republican leaders are using the spending measure after a group of conservatives began holding up other floor action, forcing them to look for a path that can keep the bill moving.
John Thune on the Senate
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday, “We’ve looked at that at length,” and “there are some things you could do, but are they going to be sufficient to scratch the itch of the people who want the full SAVE Act?” He also said his caucus is “not even close” to having the votes to eliminate the filibuster.
That leaves reconciliation as the only available vehicle House Republicans are trying to use. Reconciliation lets Republicans bypass the Senate filibuster and pass legislation without any Democratic support, but the Senate’s parliamentarian will decide which provisions qualify under rules that limit the bill to taxes and spending.
SAVE America Act limits
The SAVE America Act would require voter ID at the polls and proof of citizenship to register to vote. Trump has been pressuring congressional Republicans to pass it and has said it is needed to secure elections, but federal law already makes it illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections and requires voters registering to swear under penalty of perjury that they are citizens and eligible to vote.
The blueprint was released on Wednesday, and it must be adopted by the House and the Senate before work can begin on the final reconciliation package. The bill had already moved through the House on Feb. 11, when lawmakers passed an expanded version called the SAVE America Act on a 218-213 vote after the earlier SAVE Act passed last year without gaining traction in the Senate.
The immediate question is which parts of the SAVE America Act the Senate parliamentarian will allow to remain in the reconciliation bill. If the provisions do not fit the budget rules, the House blueprint gives Republicans a way to try, but not a guaranteed path to the policy they say they want.
