Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is pushing to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act through a third budget reconciliation bill, a procedural maneuver that would let Republicans sidestep the Senate's 60-vote filibuster. The announcement Wednesday came right after President Donald Trump canceled a signing ceremony for a major bipartisan housing package, saying he wouldn't sign it until the Senate approves the voter ID bill.
"The only path, I think, to get that done, because you're never going to get seven Democrats to join 53 Republicans in the Senate to do that … you have to put it on a reconciliation bill," Johnson said during a press briefing. He added that he'd discussed the strategy with Trump, who seems on board with using reconciliation as the vehicle.
Trump's decision to scrap the housing bill signing has drawn sharp criticism. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) accused him of acting like a child and blocking a rare bipartisan achievement. California Gov. Gavin Newsom went further, calling Trump "a sick man" for withholding affordable housing relief to push a separate voting-related agenda, claiming the delay is hurting families.
This isn't the only hostage Trump has taken. Days earlier, he halted the Senate hearing for Jay Clayton's confirmation as Director of National Intelligence, warning that moving too fast on Clayton could complicate efforts to renew Section 702 of FISA. He insisted any FISA extension must be paired with the SAVE America Act for his approval.
Trump has also been vocal in his criticism of Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, blaming her for obstructing the SAVE Act and calling for her removal. MacDonough ruled that the SAVE Act violates the Senate's Byrd Rule, which prevents extraneous policy changes from being included in budget reconciliation bills. That ruling means the voter ID bill can't pass with a simple majority through reconciliation—at least not without overcoming that procedural hurdle.
Johnson's reconciliation gambit is a long shot, but it's the only game in town if Republicans want to avoid needing Democratic votes. The question is whether they can find a way around the parliamentarian's ruling or if they'll need to change the rules entirely.
