Participants listen to a speech by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) during the “People Only Vote” bus tour rally to pass the SAVE Act in Upper Senate Park outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 10, 2025.
Kent Nishimura | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Senate Republicans are preparing to vote on the SAVE America Act this week, while Democrats continue to oppose a voter ID bill strongly supported by President Donald Trump.
House Republicans passed one version of the bill largely along party lines in February, but it still needs 60 votes in the Senate to avoid a filibuster. Senate Republicans have only a 53-47 majority and cannot advance the bill without support from Senate Democrats unless lawmakers change the filibuster rules.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R.S., said Thursday he would bring the bill to the floor for a vote this week to “put Democrats on the record.”
There are multiple versions of the bill in circulation, and it’s unclear which version Thune will bring to the Senate floor for a vote next week.
“We don’t know yet what Mr. Thune is doing, but we’re prepared for all scenarios,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York told reporters at a news conference Sunday afternoon.
“My caucus feels very strongly that this is going to be horrible…one of the worst things that’s happened in the history of this country in terms of allowing people to vote,” he said.
Opposed to the SAVE America Act
A bill recently passed by the House of Representatives would require Americans to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, to register to vote in federal elections. The bill would also require photo identification to vote in person or by mail.
Marc Elias, founder of the voter rights group Democracy Docket, also told reporters on a conference call Sunday that the bill, if passed, could lead to “massive voter suppression” against those who are unable to comply.
Most people don’t have a passport, and frankly, most people don’t have ready access to the original or certified copy of their birth certificate.
mark elias
Founder of Democracy Docket
“Most people don’t have a passport, and frankly most people don’t have ready access to an original or certified copy of their birth certificate,” he said.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice and the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, approximately 21 million Americans do not have easily accessible documentation of citizenship, and 2.6 million Americans do not have a government-issued photo ID.
According to the latest data, the US Department of State issued approximately 27.3 million passports during fiscal year 2025, including approximately 4.5 million passport cards.
The bill, passed in February, also requires states to periodically send lists of voters to the Department of Homeland Security to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
“What they’re trying to do here is absolutely horrific, and it really motivates my caucus to do everything we can to stop this,” Schumer said on a conference call Sunday. “This is nothing more than a cynical attempt by Donald Trump to steal the election.”
CNBC responded to criticism of the bill by Schumer and voter rights activists and reached out to the White House for comment.
A vote on the SAVE America Act, scheduled for next week, comes less than eight months before the November midterm elections, potentially threatening Republican control of the House and Senate.
President Trump has increasingly focused on the election in recent months, saying Republicans should “nationalize” elections and potentially imposing voter ID requirements by executive order. President Trump also announced that he would expedite the enactment of the SAVE America Act.
“It has to be done now. It takes precedence over everything else. It has to go to the front lines,” he said in a post on Truth Social last week. “As president, I will not sign any other legislation until this one passes.”
— CNBC’s Justin Papp contributed reporting to this article
