U.S. House stalls defense spending bill amid SAVE America Act dispute

The House of Representatives rejected a procedural rule that would have allowed the SAVE America Act – a voter‑ID and citizenship‑proof bill promoted by former President Donald Trump – to be attached to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The vote fell 198‑224, with 14 Republicans joining Democrats to oppose the last‑minute addition.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and other holdout Republicans said the merger would let the Senate strip the SAVE America provisions, prompting a motion to reconsider the vote. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise switched his vote to enable future reconsideration. The defeat halts the NDAA, a key defense‑spending package, and highlights limited support for the voter‑restriction legislation within the GOP.

The procedural impasse underscores partisan tensions over election‑reform measures and delays funding for the Pentagon and Homeland Security, with House Speaker Mike Johnson indicating a new vote will be sought within days.