Speaker Mike Johnson returned to the Capitol this afternoon after several hours at the White House, telling reporters that the only viable path to enact the SAVE Act is to attach it to a reconciliation bill - and that work is already underway."The only way to get the SAVE Act to the president's desk, we've been shown many times, is to put it on a reconciliation bill, so that is in the process," Johnson said, adding that he believes a version of the measure would "clearly" comply with the Senate's Byrd Rule.Earlier today, Punchbowl News' reported that House Republican leaders are considering a modified version of the bill structured as a $4 billion grant program. The grants would incentivize states to adopt citizenship verification and voter ID requirements for elections. The idea is still in its early stages, with no guarantee it will ultimately work or pass procedural hurdles.Speaker Mike Johnson just got to the Capitol after “hours” at the White House.
Johnson said “the only way to get”
The SAVE Act to the president’s desk “we’ve been shown, many times, is to put it on a reconciliation bill, so that is in the process.”⁰
He says it would “clearly”…
— Em Luetkemeyer (@em_luetkemeyer) June 29, 2026This approach aims to frame the policy as a budgetary/spending matter, which is more likely to survive the Senate parliamentarian's review under the Byrd Rule.NEW — House GOP leaders are planning to vote on NDAA passage Wednesday, if they can pass the rule tomorrow amid a fight over the SAVE America Act, per sources
