Bean Urges Senate Action on SAVE Act Ahead of 2026 Election

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) joined U.S. Congressman Brandon Gill (TX-26) in urging Chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to advance the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and hold a committee markup before the 2026 midterm elections.

Upon sending the letter, Congressman Bean said, “One citizen, one vote—it’s that simple. Voting is both a sacred right and responsibility of American citizenship, and House Republicans delivered on our commitment to protect the ballot box. We passed the SAVE Act to ensure that only American citizens vote in our American elections. Now it’s time for the Senate to act.” 

In the letter, the lawmakers argue, “As the midterm elections quickly approach, the Senate must take urgent action to address the corrosive threat to our citizens’ national self-determination posed by permitting foreign nationals to vote in our elections. This problem is not hypothetical; in states across the country, from Texas to Ohio, thousands of aliens have been identified as being registered to vote in federal elections.” 

BACKGROUND

The House passed H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, on April 10, 2025. This crucial legislation protects the integrity of federal elections by requiring states to verify proof of citizenship before registering voters. Despite the House's passage, the Senate has yet to take the first step toward considering the bill. 

• The SAVE Act requires states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – before registering an individual to vote in an election.
• Directs states to establish a process for applicants who do not have documentary proof of citizenship or have discrepancies on their documents due to a name change, but are in fact U.S. citizens, to register to vote.
• Requires states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls, while giving them the necessary tools to do so.
• This legislation passed the House in a bipartisan vote (221 – 198) during the 118th Congress. 

CLARIFICATION: For married women whose documents haven’t yet been updated to reflect a name change, the SAVE Act requires states to provide a process that allows them to register to vote despite the discrepancy. Women can use a combination of existing documents—such as a birth certificate and other forms of identification—to verify their citizenship. No woman will lose the ability to register or vote because of a name change.

Click here to read the full letter. 

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