The House Rules Committee has given the green light to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), merging it with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act on Monday.
The combined legislation has now been forwarded to the floor for further consideration.
The committee approved an 8-4 vote rule to combine the SAVE America Act with the NDAA via a special process known as MIRVing. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the senior member of the House Rules Committee, proposed an amendment to eliminate the rule’s language that merges the two acts. However, his amendment was rejected by Republicans, reported The Hill.
McGovern expressed his concerns during the hearing, stating, “Let me be clear. The Senate will just strip the Save Act out. They’ve already said that merging it with the NDAA bill doesn’t prevent that. Nothing in this rule will prevent that.”
The procedural rule up for a vote also includes funding for national security and the State Department, along with a resolution marking the first anniversary of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who supports the SAVE America Act, warned that the Senate could remove the voter ID bill from the NDAA, arguing that merging the two bills through the MIRV process would not ensure the measure’s passage.
“MIRV ref NDAA won’t work,” wrote Luna.
Trump Downplays Housing Bill
Last week, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pledged to advance the SAVE America Act through a third budget reconciliation bill. This move came after President Donald Trump cancelled a signing ceremony for a comprehensive bipartisan housing package, insisting on Senate approval for the voter ID bill.
Johnson also promised to send the delayed bipartisan housing affordability bill, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, to Trump on Monday. This legislation aims to increase housing supply, reduce development bottlenecks, and improve affordability, while also limiting the influence of large investors in the single-family housing market. Trump, however, said he was unsure whether he would sign the bill, though it can become law automatically after 10 days without presidential action. The President dismissed the bill as insignificant compared to the SAVE America Act, calling it “a yawn.”
The Fate Of SAVE ACT
Several conservative Republicans have vowed to oppose a procedural rule advancing key legislation unless the SAVE America Act moves forward. Although Speaker Mike Johnson proposed including the measure to win over holdouts, some lawmakers remain skeptical, raising doubts over whether he can secure the near-unanimous GOP support needed to pass the rule.
Trump also acknowledged that the SAVE AMERICA ACT is unlikely to pass because several Republican senators are not expected to support it.
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