Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) questioned whether Republicans genuinely intend to pass the SAVE America Act, accusing his own party of using the stalled election bill for political advantage ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Massie Questions GOP Motives On SAVE Act
Massie’s criticism followed a broader warning he posted Sunday on X. “Government can lie to you. Government has lied to you. Government is lying to you. Government will lie to you,” he wrote. “Live your life accordingly.”
When a user responded by criticizing congressional dysfunction and pointing to public support for voter identification laws, Massie turned his skepticism toward Republicans.
“Don’t waste too much time believing republicans are actually trying to pass the SAVE Act, versus using it as political messaging for partisan advantage ahead of the midterms,” he replied.
The Republican-controlled House passed the SAVE America Act 218-213 on Feb. 11, with Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar (D) the only Democrat voting yes. The bill requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register for federal elections and establishes national photo-identification requirements for voting.
Trump Pushes Bill As Senate Resists
President Donald Trump has made the measure a major priority, repeatedly pressuring Republicans to advance it and even threatening to withhold support from unrelated legislation until Congress acts. In June, Trump personally visited Senate Republicans to demand passage, but Reuters reported the meeting produced no shift in support.
The bigger obstacle is the Senate. Republicans hold 53 seats but generally need 60 votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has said the votes simply are not there. Senators left Washington for their August recess without passing the measure despite Trump demanding they remain in session.
Trump has also called for eliminating the filibuster to break the impasse.
Voter ID Support Meets Partisan Divide
Voter ID itself remains broadly popular. An April Reuters/Ipsos poll found 77% of Americans supported identification requirements. However, Reuters found in July that illegal noncitizen voting is rare, while critics argue documentary citizenship requirements could prevent eligible voters without ready access to birth certificates or passports from registering.
Massie’s criticism comes after years of clashes with Trump and Republican leadership. The Kentucky lawmaker, who has served since 2012, lost his May Republican primary to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein after opposing several administration priorities.
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