WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that the SAVE Act, a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, will not advance in the Senate, declaring the legislation “dead on arrival” and comparing it to discriminatory Jim Crow-era laws.
“The SAVE Act is DOA,” Schumer said during a floor speech. “Let me be clear: I will not let the SAVE Act become law. Every Senate Democrat, every single one of us, is united against it. They need 60 votes.”
Key Points
- Chuck Schumer says the SAVE Act requiring proof of citizenship to vote is “dead on arrival.”
- The bill is opposed by every Senate Democrat and lacks the 60 votes needed to advance.
- Schumer likened the bill to Jim Crow-era voter suppression tactics.
The SAVE Act, introduced in the House by Republicans and supported by former President Donald Trump, would mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections. Proponents argue it is necessary to prevent noncitizen voting. Opponents say it would disenfranchise millions of legal voters, especially those without immediate access to documents.
Schumer accused Republicans of pushing what he called a “destructive, dangerous voter suppression bill,” and said the legislation undermines core democratic principles. “They want to not only restore Jim Crow in the South,” he said. “They want to have Jim Crow spread from one end of this country to the other. It will not happen.”
The bill passed the House Committee on House Administration earlier this month with Republican support, but faces a roadblock in the Senate, where 60 votes are required to overcome a filibuster. With Democrats holding a narrow majority and unanimous opposition, its prospects are effectively nullified.
Partisan clash over election security
Republicans say the SAVE Act is a necessary step to restore confidence in elections and ensure only citizens vote. Democrats counter that there is no substantial evidence of noncitizen voting in federal elections, and that the measure would impose unfair barriers, particularly for elderly, low-income, and minority voters.
Trump has called for national voting reforms including ID mandates and citizenship verification, positioning them as central issues in his 2024 campaign. The SAVE Act was part of that effort, but Schumer’s announcement Tuesday signals that federal legislation along those lines will not reach the president’s desk.