House approves budget reconciliation measure to advance voter ID and citizenship requirements
Republican leaders secured a majority vote to include voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship provisions in a $95 billion budget reconciliation bill, aiming to move the measures forward despite Senate opposition.
The House voted along party lines on Tuesday to approve a budget reconciliation package that earmarks roughly $10 billion for states to implement voter-ID laws and a proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration. The funding is part of the broader $95 billion budget bill championed by Speaker Mike Johnson, which also contains $73 billion for military operations against Iran and $12 billion in agricultural aid.
The reconciliation process lowers the Senate voting threshold to a simple majority, allowing the measures to bypass the filibuster that has blocked the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act in the upper chamber.
"The vote clears a critical hurdle for advancing these election-integrity provisions," Johnson said after the tally.
Lawmakers will next consider a framework that directs committees to draft detailed provisions before the bill returns for final passage in both chambers. Some Republican members expressed concern about the lack of offsetting spending cuts, and Democrats continue to oppose the provisions, arguing they could restrict voting access.