House Republicans scored another major victory Thursday after the House Budget Committee advanced the SAVE and Protect America Act through the budget reconciliation process.
The House Budget Committee advanced a framework for a third reconciliation bill.
Speaker Mike Johnson announced the committee’s approval, calling it a critical milestone in the Republican effort to enact the SAVE America Act despite months of Democrat obstruction and Senate procedural roadblocks.
The reconciliation strategy is designed to allow the measure to pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the traditional 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster, although Senate rules will ultimately determine which provisions qualify.
“Today, the Budget Committee advanced the SAVE and Protect America Act. This is the next step toward advancing the SAVE America Act — our party’s top legislative priority,” Johnson wrote.
He also blasted Democrats for refusing to participate in the effort.
“Democrats have chosen not to engage on these important issues. Ultimately, they’ll have to answer to the American people.”
Today, the Budget Committee advanced the SAVE and Protect America Act.
This is the next step toward advancing the SAVE America Act — our party’s top legislative priority.
Democrats have chosen not to engage on these important issues. Ultimately, they’ll have to answer to the… pic.twitter.com/1JfW5VKSjX
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 16, 2026
The next step after the House Budget Committee advances a budget resolution containing reconciliation instructions is for the full House of Representatives to debate and vote on the resolution, which is expected to occur as early as the week of July 20, 2026.
The House has already passed versions of this bill multiple times. Each time, Senate Democrats and a handful of RINOs have blocked it, hiding behind the filibuster while refusing to explain to voters why they oppose basic safeguards against non-citizen voting.
It can be recalled that on Wednesday, the House Republicans delivered a major victory for election integrity after passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with the SAVE America Act language included, sending the combined legislation to the Senate in a 217-209 vote.
Now the path is clearer. Because this is moving through reconciliation, it only needs a simple majority in the Senate, 50 votes plus Vice President JD Vance to break any ties.
Vance blasted Senate Republicans over what he called “procedural bullsh*t,” arguing there is no constitutional requirement for the Senate’s 60-vote legislative threshold and insisting Republicans should use the reconciliation process to enact election integrity reforms.
Speaking alongside Vice President Vance on Wednesday, Johnson called the reconciliation package “our best shot” at passing the legislation.
“It’s our best shot at enacting our party’s top priority legislation, the SAVE America Act. It is important to the American people and it’s important to the future. And there is nothing in this bill that every Republican in Congress cannot proudly get behind.”
Given Democrats’ absolute refusal to work with us on the nation’s top priorities, we’re moving forward with the SAVE and Protect America Act to deliver on:
✅ Securing our elections
✅ Strengthening our national defense
✅ Supporting our farmers pic.twitter.com/sIqR0QKjHI— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 15, 2026
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