John Kennedy is urging Republicans to use budget reconciliation to pass the SAVE America Act, bypassing the need for 60 votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster.
Currently, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has scheduled the bill as standard legislation, which would require seven Democrats to join the GOP. Kennedy argues reconciliation could allow passage with just 50 Republican votes plus Vice President JD Vance casting the tiebreaker.
Reconciliation, governed by the Byrd Rule, limits provisions to those affecting spending, revenue, or the debt. Kennedy emphasized working with legal experts to craft a version of the SAVE Act that could survive the Senate parliamentarian’s review.
The SAVE America Act, supported by Donald Trump, would require proof of citizenship for voter registration, mandate photo ID at polling places, and limit mail-in ballots to specific cases. Conservatives argue it restores election trust, while critics warn it could burden eligible voters.
Kennedy’s push signals growing GOP pressure to explore all procedural avenues to advance election-integrity legislation, even amid uncertainty about reconciliation’s viability.
