A group of House conservative hard-liners has brought much of the chamber’s legislative business to a halt, creating a fresh challenge for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as Republican lawmakers demand action on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act before allowing other legislation to move forward.
The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and the presentation of a photo ID when casting a ballot. While the legislation has already passed the House, it has stalled in the Senate amid Democratic opposition.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged congressional leaders to find a way to get the bill through the Senate. On Wednesday, the president underscored that demand by canceling a planned signing ceremony for a broadly supported bipartisan housing package, saying he would not sign the legislation until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act.
The president’s position has been echoed by several House conservatives, who have vowed to oppose procedural rules that allow legislation to reach the House floor. Because Republicans hold only a razor-thin majority, Johnson generally needs nearly unanimous GOP support to advance those rules.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced Thursday on social media that she would not support reopening the House floor until the Senate returns from its two-week recess.
“The Senate is literally running and not ONE senator objected to going on vacation before 4th of July,” Luna wrote. “John Thune is running and hiding because he doesn’t want to get voter ID across the finish line.”
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, also backed Trump’s decision to withhold his signature from the housing bill. Speaking during a press briefing Thursday, Norman said he believes Congress should avoid considering additional legislation until the Senate returns to Washington.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) indicated he could be more willing to support procedural votes if House leadership made progress on other Republican priorities, including a GOP border measure or legislation banning stock trading by members of Congress.
“If I see movement on something else, I might give on the other,” Roy told reporters, citing the Secure the Border Act, also known as H.R. 2, along with stock trading legislation as measures he wants to see advance.
The conservative revolt has already disrupted the House schedule. Republican leaders canceled a procedural vote Wednesday after hard-liners opposed the measure, leaving the chamber to consider only legislation brought forward under the expedited suspension of the rules process, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage.
Votes on two appropriations bills scheduled for this week were also canceled, while the impasse has complicated efforts to advance other Republican priorities, including renewing the government’s warrantless surveillance authorities and pursuing a third budget reconciliation package.
Trump and several congressional conservatives have argued that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) should either eliminate the filibuster or use a talking filibuster to force the SAVE America Act through the Senate. Under that approach, Democrats would have to continuously hold the Senate floor to delay the legislation, and Republicans could pass the bill with 51 votes if Democrats ultimately yielded.
Roy said the issue now centers on whether Senate Republicans will use every available procedural tool to advance the legislation rather than relying on existing Senate rules.
Thune, however, has rejected changing the filibuster process, saying there are not enough Republican votes to alter the rule.
Johnson said Wednesday that he spoke with Trump and believes budget reconciliation represents the only viable path for advancing the SAVE America Act. As part of that strategy, the speaker proposed creating a grant program in the next reconciliation package that would provide federal funding to states implementing provisions of the legislation.
Some conservatives remain unconvinced. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) argued the grants would be voluntary and predicted blue states would simply decline the funding. Luna likewise dismissed the reconciliation proposal, urging instead that the SAVE America Act be attached to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act or the National Defense Authorization Act.
Johnson is scheduled to meet with Trump later Wednesday as House Republicans search for a path out of the legislative gridlock.
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