Sen. Hawley Criticizes GOP Senators for Blocking Voter ID Measure

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, expressed criticism towards four fellow Republicans for joining Democrats to prevent the inclusion of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in the Senate’s reconciliation package. The measure would have added voter ID requirements. Hawley remarked, “You can’t explain to me why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID.”

During a recent vote-a-rama, Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina sided with Democrats. They opposed an amendment aimed at attaching the election-integrity measure to the GOP’s budget package. Hawley, addressing Fox News Digital, expressed frustration, highlighting that voter ID is already implemented in Missouri’s constitution.

Efforts to pass the legislation failed, despite ongoing debates about its importance. The intent was to attach it to a $70 billion budget reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol. GOP leaders, including Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota, plan to advance the budget reconciliation to secure government funding, opposing Senate Democrats’ objections to former President Donald Trump’s ICE actions.

Opponents of the SAVE Act argue that voter ID laws and election integrity should remain under state jurisdiction, rather than federal. However, Hawley dismissed these arguments, emphasizing Congress’s role in regulating federal elections. He stated, “We make federal rules all the time for elections. Protecting the integrity of the ballot is fundamental.”

Congress has previously enacted election laws, such as the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022. The SAVE Act sought to require applicants to prove U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and necessitate photo identification for voting in federal contests.

Hawley pointed out that 37 states already have voter ID laws, including some Democratic-leaning states. He stressed that these rules are neither unusual nor exotic. He believes that in time, public demand will push for nationwide voter ID laws.

Hannah Brennan, a Digital Production Assistant on the Politics team, contributed to this report. She is a University of Colorado Boulder graduate, having joined Fox News Digital following her internship at the Aspen Daily News.