President Donald Trump is turning the stalled SAVE America Act into a leverage fight on Capitol Hill, tying the bill to unrelated Republican priorities as the party races to use its congressional majorities before the midterms.
The fight now stretches across defense spending, housing legislation, Senate primary politics and the filibuster, as Trump pushes Republicans to move the stalled elections bill before the partys midterm window narrows.
The latest pressure point came Tuesday, when Trump tied the stalled elections bill to a proposed “Reconciliation 3.0” package seeking $350 billion in new defense spending.Â
“The SAVE AMERICA ACT, which everyone is asking for, paired with the full funding of our Great Department of War, can be passed, very quickly, ensuring that the United States of America stays FREE for Generations to come,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.Â
TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE SENATE DESPITE REPUBLICAN REVOLT
The SAVE America Act includes Trumps long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification, which has faced obstacles in the Senate. Trump has warned about the need for voter ID laws for years, including from the 2016 campaign trail.Â
In late June, Trump announced a last-minute cancellation of the signing of the 21st Century ROAD Act of Housing, while issuing an ultimatum to get the SAVE Act passed.
The housing bill had bipartisan support and would have expanded the supply of homes and lower costs while also giving individual buyers a leg up by banning large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.Â
The cancellation came as a shock to members on both sides of the aisle, with Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins saying the decision “made no sense,” while Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Trump refused to sign at the “11th hour.”
“The SAVE America Act has always been a top priority for President Trump, and it remains one. This is commonsense legislation, supported by the vast majority of Americans, that will secure our elections for generations to come,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital.
“The president knows how critical this issue is for the American people, and he will not stop fighting until it is passed,” Jackson added.
Democratic lawmakers have argued the SAVE Act would create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters, disenfranchising them.
“In fact, he wont sign our bipartisan bill to finally bring relief to the housing market until he gets his SAVE Act to rig the midterms and kick millions of American citizens off the voter rolls. America First,” said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, referencing the housing act.Â
“Donald Trump thinks that passing a voter suppression law is the most important thing for our country,” posted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on X.Â
TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
The SAVE Act also became entangled in the Texas Senate fight between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, where the filibuster and Trumps endorsement became part of the same pressure campaign
