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Jimmy Williams
As Congress returns to Washington following the summer recess, lawmakers are staring down a critical deadline to prevent a government shutdown on September 30. However, before addressing the impending funding crisis, they must first navigate a heated partisan dispute over voter eligibility.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has outlined a plan to extend federal funding until March 2025, but the proposed short-term funding bill includes the controversial SAVE Act, a provision that would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections. While this provision enjoys strong support among House Republicans, Democrats warn that it could derail efforts to avoid a government shutdown.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House in July with a narrow bipartisan vote, is seen as a key issue for the GOP heading into the 2024 election. The bill has backing from former President Donald Trump and the House Freedom Caucus, who argue that it will protect the integrity of U.S. elections.
“Voter fraud undermines the core of our democracy,” said Johnson during a private call with House Republicans. “The SAVE Act ensures that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections.”
However, the inclusion of the SAVE Act in the funding bill has drawn fierce opposition from Senate Democrats and the White House. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) called it a “poison pill” that would block bipartisan efforts to keep the government funded.
“We’ve seen this play before, and we know how it ends. Senate Democrats will continue to work in a bipartisan way to ensure we can keep the government funded responsibly,” Murray said in a statement. “We will not allow partisan riders like the SAVE Act to interfere with this process.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also weighed in, calling on Republicans to advance a clean continuing resolution, free of any controversial policy proposals.
“It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections,” Jean-Pierre said. “We want to see a clean CR that allows us to keep the government running without risking millions of legal voters being purged from state rolls.”
Johnson’s proposal sets the stage for a showdown between the House and Senate. While Republicans may see the SAVE Act as a rallying point for their base, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has already warned against including divisive policies in must-pass bills.
“The only way to get things done is in a bipartisan way, and that is what has happened each time,” Schumer said. “We urge the House to come to the table and find common ground to prevent a shutdown.”
Adding to the tension is the uncertainty over the length of the funding extension. Johnson’s plan would fund the government through March 2025, but some Democrats are pushing for a shorter stopgap to allow for further debate on appropriations in the coming months.
As the September 30 deadline rapidly approaches, Congress has passed only five of the 12 required appropriations bills, leaving little time to complete the work needed to prevent a shutdown. Johnson’s plan is intended to buy time, but the inclusion of the SAVE Act could make that goal more difficult to achieve.
