U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) announced he will introduce a substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act aimed at incorporating additional priorities backed by President Donald Trump.
The amendment would expand the election-focused legislation to include provisions addressing men participating in women’s sports and gender-transition procedures for children, alongside voter identification reforms.
“The American people want to see a return to common sense,” Schmitt said in a statement. “I’ve worked closely with President Trump and the White House to introduce a substitute amendment that will save our elections, save women’s sports, and save our children.”
The SAVE America Act, as originally structured, would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, mandate photo identification at polling places, and limit mail-in ballots to specific circumstances such as military service, illness, disability, or travel.
Schmitt’s amendment would add language to:
- Require all voters to show ID
- Require proof of citizenship to vote
- End widespread mail-in balloting with defined exceptions
- Restrict participation in women’s sports to biological females
- Prohibit gender-transition surgeries for minors
Trump publicly urged congressional Republicans to broaden the legislation to include those provisions, calling on House and Senate leadership to update the bill.
On the Senate floor, Majority Leader John Thune framed the debate as centered on “protecting our elections and protecting our youth.”
Thune repeatedly described the bill as “commonsense,” arguing that requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship reflects standard practice in many areas of daily life.
“If there’s anything essential to the integrity of elections, it’s ensuring that those who are registered to vote are eligible to vote — and that those who show up to vote at polling places are who they say they are,” Thune said.
He cited polling that shows broad public support for voter ID requirements and criticized Democratic opposition to the measure.
Beyond election law, Thune devoted significant remarks to transgender policy, arguing that biological differences create competitive advantages in sports and referencing a United Nations report that found hundreds of female athletes had lost medals in competitions involving transgender competitors.
“The SAVE America Act would ensure that men are not allowed to hijack women’s sporting opportunities,” Thune said.
He also condemned gender-transition procedures for minors, citing reporting that thousands of adolescents received gender-related surgeries between 2016 and 2020.
“This madness has to end,” he said, noting that several European countries and U.S. states have enacted restrictions.
The legislative push comes as Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate. However, advancing the measure would likely require 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, meaning at least some Democratic support would be needed.
Democrats have argued that the bill risks disenfranchising eligible voters and have objected to linking election law with social policy issues in a single package.
The expanded SAVE America Act would also direct states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls and tighten verification standards. Supporters argue that the U.S. relies too heavily on self-attestation for citizenship compared to other democracies that use biometric databases or stricter documentation requirements.
Critics counter that documented instances of non-citizen voting are rare and that existing safeguards already prohibit it.
The debate is expected to unfold over several days, with Republicans aiming to put members of both parties on record on the provisions.
Whether Schmitt’s substitute amendment gains sufficient support remains uncertain, but its introduction signals that Republican leadership intends to align election reform efforts closely with Trump’s broader policy agenda as the 2026 midterm cycle approaches.