👉House Speaker Mike Johnson Proposes Merging Election Integrity Bill with Defense Measure to Pressure Senate

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has announced a procedural strategy aimed at increasing pressure on the Senate to consider the SAVE America Act by linking the election legislation to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one of Congress’s most significant annual measures.

The proposal follows a standoff among House Republicans, during which conservative lawmakers delayed routine legislative business while calling for stronger action to advance the SAVE America Act. The House approved the measure earlier this year. The legislation would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and establish photo identification requirements for casting ballots.

Speaking to reporters, Johnson said House Republicans plan to use a parliamentary procedure known as “MIRVing,” or “merge onto the rule,” which would combine the SAVE America Act with the NDAA during House floor consideration.

“We’re going to pass a MIRV, or what’s better known as a merge onto the rule,” Johnson said. “When Republicans vote for the rule, they’ll be voting not just for the NDAA and everything else that’s there, but they’ll also be voting to merge onto that the SAVE America Act we passed back in February.”

Johnson said the approach is intended to demonstrate House Republicans’ commitment to election security while increasing the likelihood that the Senate will consider the legislation alongside the annual defense authorization bill.

Despite the strategy, procedural challenges remain. Even if the combined package passes the House, the Senate could remove the election provisions during its consideration of the NDAA. The proposal also carries the potential to complicate or delay passage of the defense bill, which authorizes military programs and national defense spending each fiscal year.

The proposal has generated mixed reactions within the Republican conference. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) argued that attaching the bill procedurally would still allow the Senate to remove it and called for incorporating its provisions directly into the NDAA through amendments. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said lawmakers should review the final proposal before deciding whether to support it, while House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) expressed support for efforts to advance the legislation.

Democrats continue to oppose the SAVE America Act, arguing that its voter registration and identification requirements could create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters. Republicans contend the legislation is necessary to strengthen election integrity by ensuring that only U.S. citizens participate in federal elections. As negotiations continue, the future of both the NDAA and the SAVE America Act remains uncertain as lawmakers work to resolve differences before the defense bill advances through Congress.