Supreme Court’s Mail Voting Decision Met by Rage From Trump Over the SAVE America Act

President Trump and his conservative allies are showing no signs of giving up on the SAVE America Act, especially after the Supreme Court ruled that mail ballots can be accepted multiple days after an election is held. Republican senators have made clear that there is no way that the proof of citizenship and voter ID bill can become law. Last week, Mr. Trump and a small band of Republicans on Capitol Hill effectively shut down Congress as a form of protest over the SAVE America Act. The president abruptly canceled a bill signing ceremony for a housing reform bill that passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan majorities, leading House conservatives to join in the fight by threatening to block all legislation from coming to the floor. Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to send his colleagues home without bringing multiple bills up for a vote.On Monday, Mr. Trump made clear that his war with Congress will continue this week after the Supreme Court held in a 5–4 decision that mail ballots can be accepted several days after election day so long as the ballots are postmarked on time. “In light of the tremendous loss in the Supreme Court today concerning Voter’s Rights, and the fact that ‘people’s’ votes are allowed to be counted LONG AFTER an Election is over, it is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” the president wrote on Truth Social in reaction to the ruling.There are multiple versions of the SAVE America Act that the president has pushed — none of which have the votes to pass. Last week, he wanted requirements that voters prove citizenship and show photo ID before casting a ballot, a severe restriction on mail voting, a ban on transgender surgeries and hormone treatments for minors, and a ban on transgender athletes competing in sports leagues designated for the opposite sex. On Monday, Mr. Trump says he only wants the proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements, and the restriction on mail voting.“There is no excuse for a politician, or otherwise, to be against the above three requirements. There is only one reason to oppose — CHEATING!” the president wrote Monday. “There can be no more excuses!”The bill for which he is now advocating has no chance of passing, even if the Senate was somehow able to abolish or reform the filibuster, or even using a “talking filibuster” as some conservatives want. During the battle over Department of Homeland Security funding earlier this month, Republicans put up an amendment to add the SAVE America Act to the spending measure. Not only did the amendment not receive the 60 votes necessary to be added to the bill — it failed to garner a majority of votes. On the floor, four GOP senators voted against the amendment. Those lawmakers — Senators Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins — all have various reasons for opposing the bill. Ms. Murkowski says the proof of citizenship requirement would be too high a burden on her largely rural state. Those who live in remote areas would be forced to spend hundreds of dollars and several days flying to designated government offices across the state in order to prove their citizenship in person. Ms. Collins and Mr. Tillis both support the proof of citizenship and voter ID provisions, though they say they cannot go along with a severe restriction on mail voting, which is predominantly used by older voters. Mr. McConnell says he does not support federalizing elections, given the Constitution’s proclamation that states decide the “Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives” under Article I.In the House, hardline conservatives have shown no sign of giving up on their fight. Led by Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, dozens of House GOP lawmakers say they will not provide the votes to Mr. Johnson in order to open the floor for debate and passage of legislation under simple majority rule. In order for the House to consider that kind of legislation, the House must first adopt a “rule,” which simply sets parameters for debate and passage of a bill. If a rule is not adopted, then bills can only be passed with a two-thirds majority. Given he has just a three-seat majority in the House, Mr. Johnson has no room for error in getting rules adopted, meaning Ms. Luna and her band of allies currently hold control of the floor.

Supreme Court’s Mail Voting Decision Met by Rage From Trump Over the SAVE America Act

More from the New York Sun

The War Over War Powers

Antisemitism Is the Root of Mamdani Socialism, and It’s Destroying New York City

Why Rod Stewart Mattered So Much to a Teen Boy in Care

More from the New York Sun

The War Over War Powers

Antisemitism Is the Root of Mamdani Socialism, and It’s Destroying New York City

Why Rod Stewart Mattered So Much to a Teen Boy in Care

France’s Greens Propose Paid Days Off Instead of Air Conditioning To Respond to Heat Waves

Musk Loses Trillionaire Title as SpaceX Shares Tumble

Chevalier Wins, Democrats Panic, and Letitia James Fears Mamdani Has Given Party Its MAGA Moment

James Comey Builds All-Star Legal Team To Thwart Renewed Effort by Trump DOJ To Convict Him

Rubio Tries To Ease Gulf Allies’ Fears of Capitulation to Tehran