Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday expressed deep skepticism that Congress can pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act before the scheduled August recess, calling the chances "basically zero" in a post on X.
DeSantis, a Republican, wrote that he would be "happy to be wrong" about the bill's prospects but made clear he didn't think he was. The legislation, a priority for President Donald Trump, would impose new identification requirements for voter registration and in-person voting.
The governor weighed in after a user on X urged him to lobby federal lawmakers to pass the measure. DeSantis noted he had already signed a version of the SAVE Act into law in Florida, requiring voters to show proof of citizenship at the polls. He also pointed to his role as vice-chair of Trump's college sports committee, which he said was focused on fixing issues like the transfer portal and NIL rules, adding that this work "doesn't preclude the Senate from passing the federal SAVE Act."
Trump has been pressuring Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to keep the chamber in session to debate and pass the bill. But Thune has so far resisted, sticking with the planned recess despite calls from some GOP lawmakers to cancel it. The tension between Trump and Thune over the recess and the election bill has been a flashpoint in recent weeks, with conservatives pushing to scrap the break entirely.
The Senate has failed to advance the SAVE Act at least five times, as Democrats have uniformly opposed it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has branded the bill "Jim Crow 2.0," arguing it would disenfranchise voters. In a post on X, Schumer declared the legislation "dead on arrival" and said it "will not pass—not now, not ever."
DeSantis's comments add to the uncertainty surrounding the bill's fate. While Trump has turned up the heat on Thune to fast-track the measure before the break, the governor's assessment suggests even Republican leaders doubt a breakthrough is imminent. The debate over the SAVE Act comes as the House also passed a defense bill that includes renaming the Pentagon to the "Department of War," a move that has drawn bipartisan support in the lower chamber but faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
For now, the SAVE Act appears stalled, with DeSantis's blunt prediction reinforcing the view that the August recess will proceed as scheduled, leaving the voter ID legislation on the back burner until at least September.
