by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News February 16, 2026
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has announced her support for the SAVE Act, which gives the GOP 50 votes in the Senate for the legislation. Vice President JD Vance would then cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the law requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Republicans can pass the bill under a standing or “talking” filibuster scenario.
Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna revealed that Senate leadership is moving toward nuking the so-called “Zombie Filibuster” and restoring an old-school standing filibuster to advance the legislation.
According to Luna, Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled after a meeting with Donald Trump that the Senate is prepared to bring the SAVE Act to the floor without the modern, abuse-ridden 60-vote threshold.
Previously, Collins had reservations about the legislation, particularly provisions that would have required voters to present proof of citizenship, such as passports or birth certificates, each time they cast a ballot.
According to reporting from The Maine Wire, the current House-passed version of the SAVE Act has removed that requirement, instead allowing state-issued identification to suffice, an adjustment Collins says was critical in securing her support.
“Requiring voters to produce passports or birth certificates on election day — as opposed to just a state-issued ID — would have placed an unnecessary burden on the voters. That provision is no longer in the bill and dropping this requirement was key to getting my support,” Collins said.
“The law is clear that in this country only American citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections,” Collins added.
“In addition, having people provide an ID at the polls, just as they have to do before boarding an airplane, checking into a hotel, or buying an alcoholic beverage, is a simple reform that will improve the security of our federal elections and will help give people more confidence in the results.”
The current House-passed SAVE America Act still requires proof of citizenship in order to register to vote.
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