On Monday afternoon, some conservative Republicans hit a snag in their efforts to incorporate election integrity measures into the Senate’s deal to avoid a government shutdown. President Donald Trump, in a somewhat indirect manner, suggested they should consider resigning.
In a post on Truth Social, he urged the House to swiftly approve a $1.2 trillion funding package that would resolve the three-day partial shutdown “without any changes.” A group led by Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is advocating for the inclusion of an updated version of the Protecting American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) to bolster support for the budget.
Trump stated, “While we aim to work together in good faith on these issues, we cannot afford another prolonged, senseless, and destructive shutdown that harmsour country. Such a shutdown wouldn’t benefit either party.” He emphasized, “Everyone, please vote YES!”
The revised SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections and also includes voter ID language. Luna and her fellow conservatives have promised to block the funding measure unless election integrity provisions are added.
“I am clear: The SAVE Act must be included in the rules for these spending bills and returned to the Senate for a vote,” Luna wrote on X this past Sunday.
Meanwhile, House Democrats are less likely to support Republican leaders in passing rules that would govern votes on the funding package. With House Speaker Mike Johnson’s slim majority, losing even a single Republican vote on a party-line decision could create complications.
On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned that adding the SAVE Act might extend the shutdown. He argued that the bill would need to be reintroduced to the Senate, where Democrats are expected to resist any legislation that includes voter ID laws.
“We want the SAVE Act, of course, but we also must look at the numbers,” he told reporters. “This is a funding package, and we can’t afford to complicate things with government money. We’ve got other pressing issues like the winter storm and military pay that need our attention.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has consistently labeled the SAVE Act a “poison pill,” warning that his party will filibuster any bill including it. He has also compared the election integrity measures, backed by several black and Hispanic Republicans, to historic “Jim Crow” laws.
If House Republicans attach the SAVE Act to the bipartisan spending package, Schumer warned, it would likely result in an even longer shutdown under the Trump administration.
Luna responded to Schumer’s remarks by stating, “If @SenSchumer says that a minority wanting voter ID supports racist policies, then I have to disagree.”
House Republican leaders are now hurriedly seeking GOP support to push the funding plan forward with a procedural vote possibly coming as early as Tuesday afternoon. The Senate-passed bill aims to fund five spending bills covering nearly 80% of the government through September, while providing a two-week extension for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The White House and Senate Democrats have consented to briefly fund DHS while they discuss immigration enforcement reforms. However, some House conservatives might oppose proceeding with this funding measure, citing the absence of a full-year DHS bill.
“Things haven’t improved; they’ve worsened,” said Rep. Eric Burleson from Missouri, referring to the Senate-passed bill meant for the House. “I just don’t see how they expect all Republicans to support this.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed public backing for the election integrity measure last week, though no floor vote has been scheduled yet.
Luna admitted that, due to the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster requirement, the SAVE Act would likely face failure if brought forth as a standalone bill. She and other conservative Republicans view attaching voter ID provisions to must-pass legislation—like funding measures—as a more promising avenue for getting the legislation approved and ultimately signed by Trump.
