U.S. Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) was the lone Republican lawmaker to vote against a provision that would attach the SAVE America Act — a landmark election integrity bill that has become President Donald Trump’s main legislative priority — to an upcoming bill.
The House on Tuesday approved a procedural rule by a vote of 215 to 211. The rule established the framework for floor consideration of multiple pieces of legislation, including a fiscal year 2027 appropriations measure funding the Department of State and related national security programs.
The rule incorporated a legislative attachment, often referred to as a MIRV process in congressional procedure, that combined the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act with the State Department funding bill. Under this arrangement, once the House passes the appropriations legislation, the SAVE America Act provisions are appended to it.
The combined package is then transmitted to the Senate for consideration. This mechanism provides a pathway for the Senate to debate and vote on the SAVE America Act as part of a broader funding measure rather than as standalone legislation.
The SAVE America Act amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport. The bill had previously passed the House in earlier sessions but had not advanced to a Senate vote.
House Republicans had engaged in extended discussions in prior weeks regarding strategies to advance the measure and related priorities.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) cast the only Republican vote against the procedural rule, while all other members of the Republican conference voted to advance it. Following the vote, the House is scheduled to consider the underlying legislation, including the State Department appropriations bill and the attached SAVE America Act provisions, during the week of July 14.
Additional measures, such as a bill addressing year-round daylight saving time, are also expected to advance under the terms of the rule.
Rep. Fine did not release an immediate public statement detailing his specific reasons for opposing the rule. In prior statements on election-related legislation, Fine has expressed support for requiring proof of citizenship in voter registration and has advocated for Senate action on the SAVE America Act.
The attachment process does not guarantee Senate passage of the SAVE America Act in its current form. The Senate retains the ability to amend, remove provisions, or decline to act on the combined legislation.
House leadership has indicated plans to pursue additional attachments of the SAVE America Act to other legislation in the future.
