The House of Representatives is getting ready to vote on a bill that would mandate photo ID for voters in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
On Tuesday, the House Rules Committee, which is the final step before most bills get voted on by the entire chamber, pushed the SAVE America Act forward. This move comes as conservatives push for the Senate to consider bills that stand a strong chance of passing in the House.
This legislation primarily aims to stop noncitizens from taking part in U.S. elections.
Democrats criticize the bill as a form of voter suppression. In contrast, Republicans argue that it’s a necessary response to the significant increase in illegal immigration during the Biden administration’s first four years.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) mentioned that the vote would occur on Wednesday. The bill is backed by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) in the House and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in the Senate.
This latest version builds on Roy’s earlier Protecting American Voter Eligibility Act, which passed the House in April 2025 but didn’t make it through the Senate. The SAVE Act aims to introduce new federal citizenship requirements for voter registration and compel states to keep ineligible voters off their lists. It also includes a provision to require photo ID for voting in federal elections.
In addition, states would need to share information with federal authorities regarding citizenship verification on current voter rolls. The bill would grant the Department of Homeland Security the authority to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens are discovered to be eligible to vote.
While the House is expected to support this bill, it faces a more challenging path in the Senate. Current rules there require a 60-vote majority to overcome potential filibusters, meaning at least seven Democrats would need to join Republicans for the bill to pass.
House conservatives are actively advocating for Senate Republican leaders to revise these rules to eliminate that 60-vote threshold. They are willing to endure a significant amount of debate to see the bill succeed.
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Roy expressed optimism but remained cautious about the likelihood of progress in the Senate, highlighting the leadership’s responsibility to facilitate a vote on amendments and encourage broader participation in the process.
