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President Trump’s latest push to pair the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act with legislation reviving the federal government’s warrantless spying powers is dividing House Republicans, with some arguing the gambit is doomed to fail.
Trump has repeatedly said he will not support renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) — which allows the government to spy on foreigners abroad without a warrant — unless the GOP-backed voting requirements bill is also attached. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and the presentation of a photo ID to cast a ballot. Trump has framed the effort as part of a broader push on election security as the 2026 midterms ramp up.
The push for the SAVE America Act has split Republicans in the Senate. Some see it as a priority while others acknowledge it doesn’t have the votes to pass and view the continued focus on the measure as a distraction.
Now some Republicans in the House, which passed the SAVE America Act earlier this year, are also warning that tying the two measures together would only complicate efforts to renew the crucial spy tool.
“We need to get FISA reauthorized. It’s absolutely unacceptable that it was allowed to lapse. This program is critical to our intelligence collection and national security, and you know, when it comes to the national security, safety of the American people, we need to put partisanship aside,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), an independent who caucuses with Republicans.
“So, I absolutely don’t think we should be predicating its passage on unrelated legislation. It’s a program that’s of vital importance in its own right, and so we just should get it reauthorized as quickly as possible,” Kiley added.
Asked whether he thinks attaching the SAVE America Act could prolong the renewal of Section 702, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said, “Yes. I think it’s a Hail Mary.”
Bacon added that Trump “doesn’t seem to understand the Senate.”
Section 702 of FISA expired on June 12, after Democrats opposed any extension over objections to Trump’s appointment of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. The fate of Section 702 was thrown further into shambles after a nomination hearing for Jay Clayton — Trump’s pick to be the Senate-confirmed director of national intelligence and a candidate who had garnered bipartisan support — was canceled at the president’s behest.
And now, the president’s demand to attach the SAVE America Act to a Section 702 renewal will likely alienate Democrats, who have fiercely opposed the GOP voting requirements measure. Some Democratic support will be needed to advance such legislation in the upper chamber.
Kiley said that he’s “very concerned” when asked whether he’s worried a Section 702 renewal could drag on. Congress had already passed two short-term extensions before it lapsed.
“It’s already dragged on far too long. We had a short-term renewal, now it’s lapsed. This is just another example of the dysfunction of Congress that the American people are so frustrated with, and that now is putting the national security of our country at risk,” he added.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who previously said he would block a Section 702 reauthorization unless it included a warrant requirement, wrote on the social platform X that it’s “dumb” to attach the SAVE America Act to a FISA renewal.
“Why would we let the government spy on us in exchange for anything? After we trade the Fourth Amendment for parliamentary advantage, what shall we trade the First and Second Amendments for?” Massie wrote.
Trump’s call is nothing new. He’s previously asserted he wouldn’t sign any legislation until the SAVE America Act was enacted, then went on to sign several of his priorities, including funding for the Department of Homeland Security and a second reconciliation bill.
And Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has repeatedly beat back calls to change the Senate rules to make it easier to pass the voter ID bill. He told Punchbowl News earlier this week that it would be “unrealistic” to get the SAVE America Act passed simply by attaching it to an extension of FISA authorities.
Asked if he’s concerned that Trump might veto the intelligence legislation if it doesn’t include the election reform bill, Thune told reporters, “I certainly would hope if we can get FISA off the floor, he would sign it.”
But even if lawmakers can cobble together bipartisan support for a Section 702 renewal without the SAVE America Act attached, hard-line conservatives insisting on the voting requirements measure could derail the effort. On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) would need near-unanimous GOP support to advance such legislation through regular order.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a vocal advocate of the legislation, wrote on X: “No Save America. No FISA.”
If Johnson does decide to pass the legislation through a special fast-track process called suspension of the rules, which would require two-thirds majority support and Democratic votes to succeed, the effort could be viewed as a rebuke of Trump’s demands.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, wrote on X that he “wholeheartedly agrees” with Trump’s push.
“We must pass FISA with maximum constitutional protections for law-abiding Americans, and we should absolutely attach the SAVE America Act to this legislation. Future generations will thank us for protecting their liberties and safety, and the integrity of our elections,” Biggs said.
Alexander Bolton contributed to this report.
Add as preferred source on Google Tags Anna Paulina Luna Bill Pulte Don Bacon Jay Clayton John Thune Kevin Kiley Mike Johnson Thomas MassieCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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