Darren Lyn
12 February 2026•Update: 12 February 2026
HOUSTON, United States
The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation requiring stricter voting rules across all 50 states.
The SAVE America Act cleared the chamber 218-213, with all Republicans voting in favor and Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, joining them.
President Donald Trump has urged Congress to pass the measure, which would require states to obtain in-person documentary proof of citizenship — such as a US passport or birth certificate — from voters registering for federal elections. The bill also mandates photo identification for in-person voting and requires voters to submit a copy of eligible identification when requesting and casting mail-in ballots.
“It’s just common sense,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters. “Americans need an ID to drive, to open a bank account, to buy cold medicine, to file government assistance. So why would voting be any different?”
Democrats argue the bill would disenfranchise eligible voters. They note that voting by noncitizens is already illegal and that federal law requires voters to attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury.
“This is a desperate effort by Republicans to distract,” House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said. “The so-called SAVE Act is not about voter identification, it is about voter suppression.”
Democrats said the bill’s passage follows comments by Trump that he wants to “nationalize” elections, which they argue would conflict with the Constitution’s provision granting states authority over the “times, places and manner” of holding federal elections.
Political analysts said the measure aligns with Trump’s continued claims that the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was “rigged,” despite a lack of evidence of widespread fraud.
Experts said the renewed focus on election integrity — coupled with Trump’s repeated assertions that the 2020 election was “stolen” — could energize Republican voters in future elections, even when Trump is no longer on the ballot. US presidents are limited to two terms.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces steep obstacles. Although Republicans hold 53 of the chamber’s 100 seats, most legislation requires 60 votes to advance.
Some Republicans have expressed skepticism or opposition to the measure, complicating its path forward.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski criticized the bill as federal overreach.
“When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed,” Murkowski said in a statement. “Now, I’m seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act that would effectively do just that. I do not support these efforts.”
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the proposal “would impose Jim Crow-type laws across the country” and is “dead on arrival in the Senate.”
