An estimated 69 million American women lack the birth-certificate documentation they would need to prove citizenship under legislation that President Donald Trump has called his top legislative priority heading into the November 2026 midterm elections. That figure, drawn from Brennan Center for Justice research published in March 2026, sits at the center of a Senate fight that, as of April 20, has no visible path to the 60 votes required for passage.
The legislation is H.R. 7296, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act. It passed the House 220–198 in February on a near-party-line vote and requires voters to present documentary proof of citizenship — a passport, birth certificate, or equivalent — when registering to vote or casting a federal ballot. Senate Majority Leader John Thune brought the bill to a floor vote in late March and resumed debate on April 14 after a two-week recess. He made no move to seek rule changes that would lower the cloture threshold from 60 to a simple majority. That decision is the functional equivalent of a concession that the bill will not advance in its current form.
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