DORAL, Florida — President Donald Trump’s call for congressional action on an updated elections overhaul is facing serious doubts from senior House Republicans who aren’t convinced it can pass the chamber a third time.
Trump’s demand for a near-total ban on mail voting, in particular, remains an obstacle. When GOP leaders put a version of the SAVE America Act on the House floor last month, they left out that provision, bowing to some Republicans’ internal concerns.
Those dynamics have not changed, according to four people granted anonymity to describe internal conversations, even after Trump told Speaker Mike Johnson at the House Republican policy retreat Monday to draft a new version of the bill with the mail voting provision and other additions.
Several members pressed Johnson on the SAVE America Act during a question-and-answer session behind closed doors Tuesday morning. But he remained noncommittal about how Congress would pass it, according to three people in the room, and noted Senate Majority Leader John Thune has raised concerns about the legislation tying up the other chamber.
Asked if the House could pass a third version of the legislation, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in a brief interview that Republicans would “be talking about that” during their closed-door meetings.
“I mean, obviously we passed the SAVE America Act, which is all of the things — you know, prove citizenship, show ID to vote — that’s over in the Senate, and there’s a lot of momentum building to get the Senate to move that bill to the president’s desk,” Scalise said.
“So I know that momentum is going to keep building,” he added. “Obviously, we’re talking these next few days about the remaining things we’re going to do this year.”