Sen. Banks pushes SAVE Act as proof-of-citizenship wedge — but it would block millions of eligible voters

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) is publicly pushing Senate Republicans to rally behind the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), which would require documentary proof of citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — to register to vote. He says President Trump and Republican voters are frustrated that Senate Republicans aren't fighting hard enough. But the problem isn't a lack of will; it's that the bill's requirements are so stringent they would block an estimated 21.3 million American citizens who lack ready access to qualifying documents, according to a 2024 Brennan Center survey conducted with VoteRiders and the University of Maryland. That's about 9% of voting-age citizens, not 'roughly half,' as some advocates have incorrectly claimed. (The 52% of Americans without a passport is a separate figure that does not account for other qualifying documents like a birth certificate, military ID, or naturalization certificate.)

The House passed the SAVE Act in February 2026 by a narrow 218-213 party-line vote, but the bill stalled in the Senate in April after weeks of debate. Senate Republicans, even those who support tighter voting rules, recognize the 60-vote filibuster threshold is insurmountable with current numbers. Meanwhile, Trump has reportedly conditioned his signature on a bipartisan housing bill on SAVE Act passage, giving Banks and allies leverage they cannot use. For advocates, this stalemate is an opportunity to keep up public pressure, demand that the White House stop holding other legislation hostage, and highlight that the SAVE Act 'solves' a problem — in-person voter fraud — that is vanishingly rare, while imposing real barriers on legitimate voters. The real fight is to ensure every eligible citizen can vote without unnecessary burdens, and to oppose state-level copycat laws that are already being enacted to restrict access.