House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Newsmax on Wednesday that he is confident Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., will bring the SAVE America Act to the floor and pursue procedural options to get it passed so President Donald Trump can sign it into law.
The House earlier in the day approved the legislation, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register and photo identification to vote in federal elections.
It also calls for states to remove noncitizens from voter registration rolls.
"It does make it a bipartisan piece of legislation, and it’s long overdue," Johnson told "Rob Schmitt Tonight," noting one border-state Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, joined Republicans in supporting the bill.
"The polling says even 70% of Democrats agree with that as common sense, and yet we were only able to attract one Democrat vote tonight in the House."
Johnson acknowledged the measure faces a difficult path in the Senate, where most legislation requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
Still, he said, Thune is working through the options.
"I think Leader John Thune is as committed to this as I am," Johnson said.
"He’s trying to figure out the combination of votes and procedures to get it through and get it to the president’s desk, and he’s committed."
"He’s going to bring it to the floor," Johnson said.
Johnson said Senate Republicans are discussing "different versions of the filibuster that might accomplish that mission. We believe that desperate times call for desperate measures."
Thune, he said, is weighing how changes to Senate procedure could open the door to extended debate on unrelated amendments.
"He’s a student of the institution. He knows the rules well and how they can be abused by the other side," Johnson said.
"There is a concern that if you open that up, it could go for weeks and weeks on end and that it would have an 'unendable' amendment process with no 'germaneness' hurdles to it."
Despite those concerns, Johnson said he believes Senate Republicans "can get something done over there."
Johnson also said Trump is eager to sign the legislation.
"I was with him 90 minutes ago in the Oval Office, and he is very anxious to sign this into law," Johnson said.
"The president knows that we have to maintain the integrity of American elections, and it’s an essential component of maintaining a constitutional republic."
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