Sen. Ted Cruz advances voter‑ID and college‑sports bills

Sen. Ted Cruz is urging Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, a voter‑identification measure he says is needed to prevent illegal‑immigrant voting. He has called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to forgo a budget‑resolution strategy and cancel a scheduled recess so the bill can be moved forward before the August deadline.

At the same time, Cruz, alongside Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, is backing the Protect College Sports Act, which would limit player transfers, set a five‑year eligibility window and tighten compensation rules for college athletes. The proposal faces opposition from the Big Ten and SEC conferences and may miss a vote before a month‑long Senate recess.

Both initiatives are being pushed in the final weeks of the congressional session, with Cruz emphasizing the urgency of each measure to their respective constituencies.