It's that time of year again. The federal government claims it is running out of money, so the House of Representatives must pass a stopgap spending measure to raise funds. This year, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) added an incentive to the measure: HR 8281, the Protecting American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), aims to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote.
The SAVE Act would require all states to require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, and illegal voters would face stiff penalties, including prison time, if caught.
“Political drama”
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) isn't all that impressed with the SAVE Act. In fact, he called it “political theater” whose sole purpose is to get Republicans to pass a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.
“But wait! This CR has shiny objects on it,” Rep. Massie said during a House Rules Committee meeting on Monday. “I've never seen anything like this. I've never seen shiny objects attached to a must-pass bill. Oh, wait, no, there are always shiny objects. Just little icing on the cake, so to speak.”
The Kentucky representative further demonstrated his disdain for X.
I refuse to be a player in the Speaker's fiasco. The 6 month continuing resolution that tacked on the SAVE Act is an insult to the intelligence of the American people. The CR will not cut spending and the shiny object that comes with it will be tossed out like a hot potato before it even passes.
Massie argued that Johnson would repeal the SAVE Act if the CR Act passes.
Sorry Republicans, but you can't pass the SAVE Act. We're not going to stay on this bill.
“[This is]political theater, guys,” he concluded. “We all know how it goes. We've seen it. I've been here 12 years and I've seen it 12 times. I refuse to be an actor in this failed drama.”
Massey is not alone.
Other Republicans echoed Massie's views on the SAVE Act.
“The only time the CR and SAVE ACT would be worth passing together would be if the CR included the 1% spending cuts (which it doesn't) and Speaker Johnson stays on course with the government shutdown and sees SAVE become law, which he won't do,” Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X.
Added Corey Mills, Republican of Florida:
Fact: The SAVE Act passed the House on July 10, 2024 with a vote of 221-198, 216 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Don't believe anyone who tells you you have to attach it to an irresponsible spending resolution. If policy attachments work so well, why didn't they attach HR 2 for border security or HR 1 for energy advantage?
Johnson wins
Mike Johnson announced he was withdrawing the bill due to Republican defections.
“We're in a consensus-building business in Congress with a small majority,” Johnson said.
“There's been thoughtful discussions, family discussions, within the Republican conference, and I believe we'll get there,” Johnson said. “People have concerns about different things. That's how the process goes, and sometimes it just takes a little bit longer.”
The White House announced that the CR that accompanied the SAVE Act was a failure from the start.
“Instead of working bipartisanally to do the most basic work for the American people by keeping government afloat and providing emergency funding for disasters, House Republicans are once again wasting time with extreme policies and a potentially harmful long-term continuing resolution,” a White House press release said.
This is not how the US government was supposed to work. They are supposed to pass a budget and then operate within it, but they never do. Instead, year after year, we get scare tactics and are told one side will “shut down” the government.
You'd think they'd come up with something new.
