Only Americans Should be Voting in Elections - House Republicans - Save Act Passed in the House

House Republicans narrowly passed the SAVE America Act on Thursday, February 12, 2026, in a party-line vote of 218-213, sending the Trump-backed election integrity bill to the Senate where it faces significant hurdles.

Sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and co-sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the legislation amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to impose new nationwide requirements for federal elections. Key provisions include:

• Requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship (such as a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or REAL ID-compliant document indicating citizenship) when registering to vote in federal elections, typically in person.

• Mandating a valid photo ID to cast ballots in federal elections, with stricter standards that explicitly exclude student IDs in many cases.

• Directing states to establish processes to identify and remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

• Allowing alternative evidence (e.g., affidavits, marriage certificates for name changes) for those without immediate access to primary documents.

Supporters, including Roy and House GOP leadership, argue the bill restores public trust by ensuring only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections. They cite documented cases of non-citizen voting in some jurisdictions and point to polls showing broad public support—often around 80–83% for voter ID requirements across party lines, including strong backing from Black and Hispanic voters.

Rep. Roy emphasized the bill as "simple, common-sense election security" and called on the Senate to act, noting that "roughly eighty percent of Americans—across party lines and across racial groups—support voter ID because it’s simple, reasonable, and common sense."

The bill builds on prior versions of the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility), which passed the House in previous sessions but stalled in the Senate. President Trump has strongly backed the measure as part of broader efforts to address perceived election vulnerabilities.

Critics, including voting rights groups and Democrats (with only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, voting yes), contend the requirements could create unnecessary barriers for millions of eligible voters. They note that passports are held by less than half of Americans, birth certificates can be hard to obtain quickly (especially for name changes, such as married women or trans individuals), and non-citizen voting in federal elections remains extremely rare according to most audits and studies. Opponents warn the changes could disproportionately affect low-income voters, minorities, and those without easy access to documents, potentially suppressing turnout ahead of midterms.

The SAVE America Act now heads to the Senate, where it requires 60 votes to overcome a likely Democratic filibuster. Senate Republicans have acknowledged privately that support may fall short without procedural changes, and the bill's fate remains uncertain.

WECU News will continue monitoring developments as this Trump priority advances—or stalls—in the upper chamber. For full bill text, see H.R. 7296 (or related S. 1383) on Congress.gov.

What do you think—election safeguard or unnecessary hurdle? Share your thoughts below. #ElectionIntegrity #SAVEAct #VotingRights #WECUNews