U.S. Election Assistance Commission budget cut as Trump pushes voting restrictions

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has proposed cutting the Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) budget from $45 million to $15 million, reducing staff funding below $20 million for the first time in four years. The cut would also slash the agency’s election‑security grant program, which funds cybersecurity upgrades, physical security improvements and voter‑misinformation countermeasures for state and local officials.

At the same time, President Trump and Republican allies are advancing the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to present a passport or certified birth certificate to register and impose stricter photo‑ID rules. Critics note that voter‑fraud studies show such fraud is exceedingly rare, and the proposed documentation would be difficult for millions of Americans to provide. The juxtaposition of budget reductions for genuine election‑security needs with a push for stricter voting requirements underscores a gap between GOP rhetoric on election integrity and actual funding for security measures.