Sen. Josh Hawley Criticizes GOP Senators for Blocking Voter ID Amendment

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, expressed criticism towards four Republican colleagues who sided with Democrats in thwarting an effort to integrate the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act into the Senate’s reconciliation package. Hawley stated, “You can’t explain it to me why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID.”

During a vote-a-rama on Thursday, Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted alongside Democrats to block an amendment that aimed to include the election-integrity measure in the GOP’s budget package. Hawley expressed his frustration, noting Missouri’s long-standing implementation of voter ID laws as part of its state constitution.

Voter ID is the most popular thing out there. There’s a reason for that. People want their elections to be safe, they want them to be fair. And to me, you can’t explain it to me, why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID. I just don’t understand it.

The Republican party faced another setback in passing the legislation on Thursday night despite extensive debates over the necessity of attaching it to the budget reconciliation package worth approximately $70 billion. This package is intended to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol efforts.

Many senators who opposed the SAVE act argued that policies on voter ID and election integrity should be left to states and not become a federal mandate. However, Hawley disagreed, defending Congress’s long-standing involvement in federal election regulations.

We make federal rules all the time for elections. I mean all the time we do. And there’s nothing more basic than protecting the integrity of the ballot and that’s what this is about.

The SAVE Act would necessitate applicants provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. It would also require voters to present photo identification when voting in federal elections. Hawley highlighted that 37 states, including some Democratic-leaning ones, already have voter ID laws, asserting it is neither unusual nor extreme.

Sooner or later this is going to happen because I think the American people are going to demand it.

The debate continues as lawmakers balance federal oversight with state authority in election law.

Hannah Brennan is a Digital Production Assistant with the Politics team. She has experience covering significant political and cultural events and holds a degree with high distinction from the University of Colorado Boulder.