Politics · Senate stalls · ArchiveTrump Pushes Save America Act as Senate Stalls — Proof of Citizenship to VoteAired July 26, 2026 at 4:32 AM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00The White House says President Trump's0:01patience is running out, and this time0:03it's over a voting bill that could0:05fundamentally change how every American0:07registers to cast a ballot. The Save0:09America Act would require documentary0:11proof of US citizenship to register for0:13federal elections. The House has passed0:16it repeatedly. The Senate has not acted,0:18and with the August recess approaching,0:20the administration is demanding a vote.0:22The legislation is sweeping. To0:23register, you would need to present a US0:25passport or a certified birth0:26certificate along with a photo ID. A0:28standard driver's license alone wouldn't0:30be enough. The bill also eliminates0:32online and mail-in voter registration0:33entirely, requiring every new applicant0:36to appear in person. Supporters say it's0:38about election security. Critics call it0:39a barrier to the ballot box. The bill0:41has passed the Republican-controlled0:43House multiple times, but it remains0:45stalled in the Senate, where Democrats0:46hold the votes to block it. Senate0:48Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has0:50declared the measure dead on arrival.0:52The White House fired back today saying0:53President Trump's patience is running0:55out and demanding the Senate act before0:57the August recess. Supporters of the0:58bill point to a recent controversy in1:00New Jersey.1:02A glitch at the state's Motor Vehicle1:03Commission registered roughly 6,6001:06non-citizens to vote. About 400 of those1:08individuals actually cast ballots. The1:10Department of Justice is now1:11investigating. Governor Mickey1:13Sherrill's administration says it's1:15working to address the error, but for1:16Republicans, it's proof the system needs1:18federal intervention. Senate Democrats1:20led by Schumer have made clear they will1:23not pass the bill in its current form,1:25calling it a solution in search of a1:27problem that could disenfranchise1:29legitimate voters. Now, Republicans are1:32exploring another path. Sources say the1:34GOP may attach the Save America Act1:36provisions to the must-pass government1:38funding bill. The deadline is September1:4030th. That strategy risks a government1:42shutdown if Democrats refuse to go1:44along, and it has exposed internal1:46divisions among Republicans about how1:48hard to push the fight. Critics point to1:50what happened in Kansas and Arizona,1:52where similar state-level voter ID laws1:54blocked tens of thousands of eligible1:56citizens from registering. They argue1:58this federal law would1:59disproportionately impact voters of2:01color, young voters, low-income2:03Americans, married women who changed2:05their names, and even military members2:07stationed overseas. Groups less likely2:09to have immediate access to a passport2:11or certified birth certificate. The2:13midterm elections are now just 101 days2:16away, November 3rd. With the August2:18recess, the funding bill deadline, and a2:20Senate standoff all converging, the2:23fight over how Americans prove who they2:25are before they vote is far from over.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗