House Republican leaders are attempting to advance the stalled SAVE America Act following a conservative revolt that halted progress last week. The House Rules Committee approved a rule in an 8-4 vote to merge an annual defense policy bill with the election measure backed by former President Trump before sending it to the Senate.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the committee who supported the blockade, did not participate in the vote. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who leads the opposition to the SAVE Act, stated that the procedural tactic would not ensure Senate action and called for an amendment to be added to the defense bill.
Luna emphasized the need for her amendments to be included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), stating that it aligns with the desires of a significant portion of the American public. Johnson's proposal follows a rejection from conservative members to include parts of the SAVE Act in a previous legislative package.
The upcoming vote will also address a spending bill for the State Department and other foreign operations for fiscal year 2027, as well as a resolution commemorating the one-year anniversary of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, now referred to as the Working Families Tax Cuts.
If Republican leadership fails to advance these legislative items, the House may face a standstill, potentially allowing lawmakers to return home early ahead of the July 4 recess. Johnson expressed concern that continuing the blockade would be counterproductive, urging progress on legislation.
Luna indicated her reluctance to proceed without assurances regarding the SAVE Act's future in the Senate, asserting that their actions are part of the legislative process. Democrats have expressed skepticism about the GOP's strategy, arguing that the Senate would likely remove the SAVE Act from the NDAA.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Conn., stated during the Rules Committee debate that the Senate would strip the SAVE Act from the bill, describing the maneuver as ineffective. The approved rule would allow for the attachment of the SAVE Act to the NDAA without requiring further votes from lawmakers.
The leadership did not select a version of the election bill that included all of Trump's priorities, and it remains uncertain whether the proposed measures can gain sufficient support in the House. Trump's criticism of several Republican senators for their lack of support for the SAVE Act was noted in a recent social media post, where he urged them to act decisively.