[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 54 (Monday, March 23, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            SAVE America Act

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, this week, we kick off the 2026 Major 
League Baseball season. While fans across the country once again enjoy 
cheering on the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros, I am reminded of 
the wise words of one of the great legends of America's pastime. 
Baseball Hall of Fame legend Babe Ruth once said:

       It's hard to beat a person who never gives up.

  For several days now, the Senate has been debating and considering 
the SAVE America Act. This bill would simply require individuals to 
present proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote as well as 
photo identification before voting in a Federal election.
  To show how far the Democrats have gone in opposing commonsense 
measures, one of the amendments to this bill was one that would counter 
Democrats' dangerous and radical gender ideology by prohibiting men 
from competing in women's sports.
  Our Democratic colleagues should be embarrassed by their opposition, 
but of course, they are not, and they did not agree. Poll after poll 
shows that Americans are strongly opposed to men competing in women's 
sports. Republicans will not give up on this issue, and the American 
people are with us.
  We also will not waver on our support for the SAVE America Act 
because it will secure the Nation's elections. Voter ID is just common 
sense. We all know that. In this country, you need an ID for almost 
everything you do--from boarding a plane, to entering a Federal 
building, to buying a beer, to renting a car, to opening a bank 
account, to renting a hotel room.
  Presenting an ID is a facet of almost every aspect of our daily 
lives. So why should it be prohibited in terms of exercising one of the 
most important prerogatives that American citizens can perform, which 
is casting their ballots? There is simply no rational explanation as to 
why Democrats are against this.
  Of course, in trying to think of what possible reason they could 
have, one is, of course, the most obvious, which is Trump derangement 
syndrome. Democrats have made it their mission to deny, refute, and 
obstruct every single policy put forward by President Trump simply 
because he supports it. If President Trump supports it, they oppose it. 
Of course, they won't put it in those terms. Instead, they falsely 
claim that the SAVE America Act will disenfranchise voters. Well, it is 
a fascinating thing to me that anywhere from 70 to 80 percent of the 
people who are polled say they support the requirement for a photo ID. 
So I suppose, by logic, based on the Democrats' position, that 70 to 80 
percent of the people polled are for disenfranchising themselves. Well, 
obviously, that makes no sense whatsoever.
  Earlier this week, the minority leader, Senator Schumer, said the 
SAVE Act is not about election integrity; it is voter suppression, 
plain and simple. Well, it is really interesting. You know, we have 
videos of then-Representative Schumer who said 30 years ago:

       [O]ne way to prove you are a bona fide person who can have 
     a job is to ask for a driver's license and a Social Security 
     card.

  So my question to Senator Schumer is this: Which is true and which is 
false? Both statements cannot be true.
  It seems that Senator Schumer is of two minds on this topic depending 
on political expediency, but we all know what is going on. We all know 
what is going on. The fact is that Democrats are masquerading their 
opposition to President Trump as voter suppression, but we all know 
that that is not true. The only votes that will be suppressed as a 
result of the passage of this bill will be those of noncitizens, who 
cannot legally vote in the first place.
  Our Democratic colleagues may say: Well, it is already illegal.
  There are a lot of things that are illegal that, if not enforced, 
deterrence will not occur; that accountability will not occur. So let 
me set the record straight. The only votes that will be suppressed by 
the SAVE America Act are those of noncitizens or illegal aliens.
  One other theory I have heard suggested is: For 4 years, President 
Biden had open border policies. He let in literally millions of people 
into the country. As for many of them, we don't know who they are or 
what they are doing. Occasionally, we find out when they commit 
criminal acts against innocent American citizens. Now that President 
Biden has opened the borders, what we are attempting to do is make sure 
that only American citizens get to vote, but Democrats are opposed. The 
only reason Democrats, beyond Trump derangement syndrome, would oppose 
this is that they want the people who came in during the 4 years of 
Biden's open border policies to be able to cast a ballot.
  If anything, voter ID empowers Americans to vote, and it protects the 
integrity of the voting process because every illegitimate vote that is 
cast undermines and dilutes a legitimate voter's ballot. By requiring 
voter ID, it will give people greater trust in our elections and faith 
in the outcomes. We need to restore the public's trust in our 
institutions, including elections. The more people believe that our 
elections are free and fair, the more they will participate in those 
elections, which is something we should all want.
  President Abraham Lincoln famously laid out his vision for our Nation 
in the Gettysburg Address when he talked about a government of the 
people, by the people, and for the people. Well, what he was talking 
about was government by American citizens--the people who are 
legitimately casting their ballots and no one else. Nowhere do these 
words read truer than at the ballot box where the American people cast 
their votes and make their voices heard. This, of course, is how our 
democracy works. It hinges on the belief that elections are free and 
fair and secure and ensure a peaceful transition of power.
  Requiring proof of citizenship is the surest and safest way we can 
help build trust and confidence with the American people and instill 
confidence in our elections. Self-government itself means nothing 
without free and fair elections.
  As I have said multiple times this last week, this is an 80-20 issue; 
but of course, our Democratic colleagues believe that 80 percent who 
support these commonsense measures literally want to disenfranchise 
themselves, which is ridiculous. Public opinion is clear: The American 
people overwhelmingly support voter ID and proof of citizenship for 
voting. In 2025, the Pew Research Center showed 83 percent of voters, 
including 71 percent of Democrats, supported requiring photo ID at the 
voting booth. The facts speak for themselves: Americans want and 
deserve photo ID.
  We will continue to fight to pass the SAVE America Act and deliver on 
the mandate given to us by the American people.