Republicans attach transgender issues to voter ID push

Source: Roll Call

Posted April 15, 2026 at 11:13am


President Donald Trump turbocharged a Republican push for a voter ID and election overhaul bill known as the SAVE America Act, sparking a high-profile debate over the future of elections, proof of citizenship and an end to many mail-in ballots.At the same time, Trump tacked on completely unrelated legislation targeting transgender Americans.

The provisions combined two of Trump’s most frequent campaign topics: the spectre of illegal voting and hot-button social issues involving LGBTQ Americans. And Trump made it clear that control of Congress was a major part of the strategy. “Only sick, demented, or deranged people in the House or Senate could vote against THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump posted on social media. “If they do, each one of these points, separately, will be used against the user in his/her political campaign for office – A guaranteed loss!”

The second Trump administration has sought to roll back societal changes in favor of transgender Americans that Trump and other conservatives argued went too far. Now that is helping to consume Senate floor time and prompting discussion over whether it could hitch a ride on a filibuster-proof budget reconciliation bill to get around Democratic opposition.

Trump has at times threatened not to sign any other legislation until Congress passes the provisions. The House earlier this year passed a bill containing some of the voting provisions. It was Trump who sought to add more, including the anti-transgender provisions as well as a ban on late-arriving ballots and voting by mail. Those provisions now live in an amendment from Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., as well as a series of amendments from other Republicans. “No more delays — let’s get it done,” Schmitt said on social media.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/04/15/republicans-attach-transgender-issues-to-voter-id-push/