Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is escalating her rebellion against House Republican leadership, vowing to continue blocking floor proceedings until the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act is attached to major must-pass legislation. In a defiant post on X Thursday, Luna declared, “So yes, 1,000%, the rule will go down until you attach the SAVE America Act. I don’t care who in this chamber hates me for it.”
Luna’s stand has already helped grind the House to a halt, as she and a small group of allies have voted against procedural rules needed to advance bills. Her focus is on forcing the Senate to take up the SAVE Act, which would require voter ID and proof of citizenship for registration—a priority for former President Donald Trump. The bill has passed the House multiple times but stalled in the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has cited insufficient support to overcome the 60-vote threshold.
Luna also took aim at fellow Republicans who have criticized her tactics, hinting at potential insider trading. “Don’t worry. Even though some of you are making comments about me in the press, I won’t respond back with your incredibly brilliant stock trades that smell like insider trading, especially given your committees of jurisdiction. It’s okay, the American people will do that for me,” she said.
Her rebellion has frustrated GOP leaders, who have tried to address her concerns. This week, they used an unusual process called MIRVing to merge the defense authorization bill with the SAVE Act. But Luna dismissed that as insufficient, arguing that statutory text in the bill itself is necessary to ensure the voter ID requirements become law. “If you believe in election integrity, don’t hide SAVE America in a MIRV. Put it in the bill itself. Statutory text becomes law. Everything else is only guidance that can be ignored, rewritten, or quietly discarded,” she said.
Internal GOP Criticism and Trump’s Warnings
Luna’s strategy has drawn sharp rebukes from within her own party. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) called it “dumb” and accused her of having “low IQ strategists.” President Trump, who has called for party unity, reportedly urged Republicans to stop voting down rules during a White House dinner Tuesday. Luna, however, dismissed Trump’s appeal, insisting she is aligned with his goals. “I think that we are exactly in lockstep with the president, and I share his same frustrations,” she said Monday.
The infighting comes as House Republicans struggle to advance their agenda, including a defense bill and other priorities. Luna has called for attaching the SAVE Act not only to the defense bill but also to any reauthorization of surveillance powers or a party-line budget reconciliation bill. “Add it to every must pass bill,” she urged. “Our frontline members promised this to their voters. Let’s deliver.”
For more on the broader tensions within the GOP, see Trump’s criticism of House rebels and how the infighting is paralyzing the party’s legislative agenda. Meanwhile, a recent Pew poll shows shifting public attitudes on other policy fronts, as lawmakers juggle multiple priorities.
The Senate’s ability to strip or alter House-passed language remains a key obstacle. Even if the SAVE Act is attached to a must-pass bill, the upper chamber could remove it before sending the legislation back to the House. Luna’s blockade shows no signs of ending, as she continues to demand a direct vote on the voter ID measure.
