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Aug 13, 2026

‘Save America Act’ Bombshell — Trump Can’t Believe What Just Happened 1

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) adjourned the chamber early Saturday morning for a five-week recess after the Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as the country’s 88th attorney general.

He allowed the chamber to recess with less than 90 days to go before what is expected to be hotly contested midterm elections and without passing President Donald Trump’s election-integrity priority: the SAVE America Act.

But as the Senate under Thune dithered, a growing number of GOP-led states are following Trump’s lead and taking the initiative, The Daily Signal reported.

The federal SAVE America Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and present photo identification when casting a ballot in those elections.

SAVE stands for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.

The House passed the SAVE America Act in February 2026 after previously approving earlier versions of the SAVE Act, but the measure has not advanced in the Senate.

Seven states enacted laws in 2025 and 2026 that incorporate key provisions or approaches similar to the SAVE America Act, while several other states had previously enacted documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration.

However, implementation of such requirements for federal elections has been shaped by a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which held that the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) limits states’ ability to require documentary proof of citizenship from applicants using the federal voter registration form.

The NVRA, commonly known as the “Motor Voter Act,” expanded voter registration opportunities through state motor vehicle agencies and other designated government offices.

While Thune has been unable to secure enough Senate support to advance the federal version, his own state has taken action.

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signed Senate Bill 175 into law in March, requiring new registrants to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in state and local elections. Those who do not provide such proof may still vote in federal races.

Under the law, acceptable documentation includes qualifying driver’s licenses or state identification cards, tribal identification cards, U.S. birth certificates, U.S. passports, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, and certificates of naturalization.

The measure is intended to verify citizenship at the time of voter registration.

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