The House Rules Committee advanced on June 29 the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes an election integrity bill championed by President Donald Trump.
The panel advanced what is called a rule, which surrounds voting on legislation, along party lines, 8-4. The rule merges the NDAA, which is the annual blueprint for the Department of Defense, in a process called “MIRVing.”
Some conservative House Republicans said they would not vote for the rule if there is no action on the elections bill. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, a photo ID for voting, and would restrict mail-in voting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) came up with the MIRVing idea to try to appeal to the holdouts. Whether MIRVing the NDAA and the SAVE America Act will get enough votes from the holdouts is to be determined. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who backs the SAVE America Act, withheld her support.
“MIRV ref NDAA won’t work,” she posted on X.
Johnson needs almost all Republicans on board to pass the rule, as all Democrats are expected to oppose it.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the committee’s ranking member, put forth an amendment to detach the SAVE America Act from the NDAA. Republicans rejected it.
“Let me be clear. The Senate will just strip the SAVE Act out. They’ve already said that merging it with the NDAA bill doesn’t prevent that. Nothing in this rule will prevent that,” McGovern said during the meeting.
“And to my Republican colleagues who want this NDAA to advance, you should also reject this rule, because all you’re doing by supporting this shell game is giving false hope to those like Representative Luna, who think that this will do something down the line. It will not make a difference at all,” he said.
In addition to the NDAA, the rule applies to legislation regarding appropriations for the State Department, a resolution commemorating the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s megabill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and a bill to remove barriers to work for disabled Americans.
The SAVE America Act, aimed at preventing vote fraud, has been a top legislative priority for Trump and Republicans.
The president said he would not sign a bipartisan housing bill until Congress passes the SAVE America Act. He canceled a signing ceremony for the legislation this past week. The SAVE America Act has passed the House, but has stalled in the Senate amid the threat of a Democrat filibuster that would require 60 votes to overcome.
Several House Republicans are urging the Senate to move forward, taking aim at Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other Senate Republicans while warning that continued inaction could create delays in the House.
Speaking with The Epoch Times, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) challenged Thune to bring the SAVE Act to the Senate floor: “Put it on the floor and debate it. Make them debate and tell the American people why they don’t have the votes.”
At the same time, some Republicans have cautioned against making the legislation a major focus before the midterm elections.
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) told The Epoch Times that pushing the measure too aggressively could lead to unrealistic expectations.
“You’re setting up here for a big disappointment on something that nobody thinks will happen. It will not happen, because it’s easy to filibuster to the end of the year,” Grothman told The Epoch Times.
Although the SAVE America Act itself was ruled ineligible under key budget reconciliation rules, Johnson has suggested including a similar grant program in a third reconciliation package this Congress. Doing so would allow Senate Republicans to pass the measure with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes normally required.
Still, some lawmakers remain doubtful that another reconciliation bill will materialize this Congress or that a replacement grant program would fully achieve the goals supporters envision for the SAVE America Act.
Nathan Worcester contributed to this report.
