Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated on July 6, 2026, that the House of Representatives will attempt to pass the SAVE America Act by attaching it to a budget reconciliation bill. This strategy aims to facilitate its passage through the Senate and to President Donald Trump's desk. During an interview with Fox News, Johnson emphasized that this approach is necessary due to the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold, which he believes makes it unlikely to pass without reconciliation.
Johnson mentioned, "I’m going to put it in a reconciliation bill, so that we can get it through the Senate. The problem is there’s only 53 Republicans in the Senate… there’s zero chance, Shannon, that seven Democrats are going to help us on election integrity."
Last week, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and 13 other Republican hardliners blocked a procedural vote that would have attached the SAVE America Act to the $1.15 trillion National Defense Authorization Act. They argued that merging the two bills would hinder the act's chances in the Senate. Luna's coalition has vowed to oppose any procedural rules until the Senate passes the act, which the House has already approved three times. Following the vote, Johnson sent members home for the Fourth of July recess.
The SAVE America Act seeks to impose stricter voting requirements and has been highlighted as a key legislative goal for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections. In a recent speech, Trump reiterated the importance of the act, stating that it would require voter ID and proof of citizenship, while limiting mail-in ballots.
Johnson also addressed concerns regarding communism, which he and other Republicans have identified as a significant threat, particularly following recent electoral successes of candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America in New York. Johnson remarked, "We have to fight this. We’re no longer in just an election cycle – we were saying it was ‘common sense’ vs ‘crazy’ – now it’s common sense vs. communism, and everybody needs to wake up."