Overview
- After a State of the Union appeal from President Trump, the House‑passed bill requiring documentary proof of citizenship at registration and photo ID to vote now faces a difficult Senate route.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he will put the measure on the floor but is first focused on resolving the Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, with 60 votes typically needed to overcome a filibuster.
- GOP senators are split over reviving a talking filibuster or pursuing other procedural maneuvers, with leaders warning the tactic would demand unanimous Republican discipline and extensive floor time.
- Democrats and voting‑rights groups argue the proposal would suppress eligible voters and is unnecessary given scant evidence of fraud, and they are preparing legal challenges.
- Election‑law experts warn the bill would upend registration systems, disrupt online and mail sign‑ups, and impose heavy new burdens on election officials under a tight pre‑midterm timeline.