Episode Overview

Title: The Truth About The Senate’s Stalling Of The SAVE America Act
Podcast: Federalist Radio Hour
Host: Matt Kittle
Guest: Thomas Lane, America First Policy Institute’s Director of Election Integrity
Date: February 17, 2026

In this episode, Matt Kittle and guest Thomas Lane discuss the Save America Act—recently passed in the House but now facing a tough path in the US Senate. Their conversation centers on the difficult legislative mechanics, the underlying causes of partisan resistance, and what the stakes are for both the upcoming midterm elections and the broader debate over election integrity in America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Senate Roadblocks and Legislative Mechanics

• Filibuster Challenges:
  Kittle begins with skepticism over the Republican-controlled Senate’s willingness or ability to pass the Save America Act, pointing out the daunting 60-vote filibuster requirement.

  • Lane explains:
    • The bill passed the House 218-213 (all Republicans plus one Democrat) but faces a familiar Senate impasse.
    • "There is a path... to get a bill through the Senate without 60 votes... and that’s to break the filibuster. Now, I don’t think anyone on the Republican side is talking about breaking the filibuster." (02:08)
  • Standing Filibuster:
    • The procedural maneuvering involves forcing Democrats into a “standing filibuster”—making them physically defend their positions with prolonged speeches, theoretically exhausting their opposition.
    • "Could that messaging just fall onto deaf ears eventually with American people? That's my guess." (05:24)

• Procedural Nuances:

  • Lane details how the bill would return to the Senate via a “message” from the House, amending existing Senate bills to bypass some initial hurdles.
  • However, despite days or weeks of debate, “you still would need that 60 votes to end debate.” (24:13)

Memorable Quote:
"I think a lot of Americans think, okay, you go through this lengthy process and then at the end of the day you just vote up or down, you get a majority... Nope, that is not the case." – Matt Kittle (26:03)

2. Core Debates: Voter ID and Citizenship Verification

• The SAVE Act Summary:

  • Requires proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and mandates photo voter ID at the polls.
  • Framed as an “80/20 issue,” favored by a wide swath of Americans—even, according to polling, a majority of Democrats.

• Democratic Opposition:

  • Host and guest argue Democratic resistance is about power retention, not principle.
  • "Why is it that the Democrats don't want this basic election integrity security measure? ... It's all about power." – Thomas Lane (09:47)
  • Lane references past “Jim Crow 2.0” accusations leveled during Georgia SB202 debates and labels such rhetoric as effective, if misleading.

• Republican Messaging Challenges:

  • Lane admits: “Messaging has always been a problem for the Republicans. And I, and I, I hope they get better at it real quick on, on this front in particular.” (35:23)

3. Electoral Implications and Motivation of Voters

• Uncertain Impact on Midterms:
  • Kittle presses for the consequences if the act fails. Lane responds:
    • "You can't just run a campaign and talk the whole year about how scary it could be if the other side gets power... people have to have something to vote for.” (15:32)
  • Discusses the importance of delivering tangible wins on domestic issues.

4. Strategic Questions and Expanding the Bill

• Making the Bill Stronger:
  • There’s discussion, credited to Speaker Johnson, on whether more election integrity measures (“why not all 14 things that you and I could think of?”) should be added.
  • Lane lists potential additions, e.g., prohibition of ballot harvesting, receiving ballots before Election Day, and improved voter roll maintenance.
  • “... all those can be found in actually the MEGA Act, MEGA standing for Make Elections Great Again.” (31:48)

5. Procedural and Political Obstacles: Individual Senators

• Key Holdouts Named:
  • Senators from Alaska, Maine, Kentucky (implication: Murkowski, Collins, and McConnell) cited as unreliable GOP votes.
  • Discusses McConnell’s alleged strategic opposition—quoting Federalist CEO Sean Davis that for some it’s about "money and power," not just animus toward Trump. (35:23–37:33)

Notable Quote:
"McConnell's heel turn on election security is worse than spike fight. It's about money and power." – Sean Davis, quoted by Matt Kittle (35:30)

6. Lane’s Direct Hand in Drafting the Law

• Lane reveals his involvement in the original SAVE Act, particularly in provisions regarding voter roll maintenance and the use of tools like the DHS SAVE database and Social Security death database for verifying eligibility. (39:56–46:43)

Clarification:
"We were getting in the weeds on really making this, this a law that would make sense. ... My involvement was working with the Speaker's team and with Chip Roy's team... to really make this a workable product." – Thomas Lane (44:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Senate Reality:
  "Once those speeches are exhausted, you can then move to passing a vote with 51 votes. … he will still need 60 votes to say, hey, we're ending debate." – Thomas Lane (20:17)
• On the Popularity of the Bill:
  “CNN even put out a poll… should citizenship be verified at voter registration... 83% yes.” – Thomas Lane (05:38)
• On Democrats’ Strategy:
  “They care about one thing and it’s power and staying in power.” – Thomas Lane (09:12)
• On Messaging Needs:
  "If I was going to give any advice... pump out your wins. You have wins, you've accomplished more in just over a year than the previous administration could ever think to have accomplished in four years." – Thomas Lane (17:28)
• On the Bill’s Odds of Passing:
  "It should be 100%. ... But if I were to put proper odds on it, 5 to 1, 4 to 1 that it’s not going to get through the Senate.” – Thomas Lane (47:40)
• On the Fate of Election Integrity:
  "If we're not verifying citizenship, if we're allowing the world to vote in American elections, that just goes against the whole tenet of American elections are for the American people." – Thomas Lane (48:10)
• Humorous Jab:
  "If you think you're grandstanding, I'd like to introduce you to Eric Swalwell." – Matt Kittle (50:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:40 | Lane explains Senate legislative and filibuster challenges | | 03:15 | Kittle: Save America Act’s core provisions and Democratic labeling as “Jim Crow 2.0” | | 04:36 | Lane on history of such attacks and their political logic | | 08:07 | Kittle: why so many Democrats oppose verification of citizenship | | 08:56 | Lane: "It's all about power" explanation | | 11:01 | Democrats’ motivations and redistricting strategies | | 15:32 | Lane: what failure to pass the Act might mean for GOP base and midterms | | 20:17 | Lane details standing filibuster mechanics | | 26:03 | Kittle: dispelling misconception about how Senate votes work | | 31:26 | Lane pushes for adding more election security measures (the MEGA Act) | | 35:23 | Kittle on GOP messaging problems | | 37:33 | Lane reflects on McConnell’s stance, the Rules Committee, and procedural blocking | | 39:56 | Lane's involvement in drafting the SAVE Act and details on list maintenance provisions | | 47:23 | Lane gives odds for Senate passage: “5 to 1, 4 to 1 that it’s not going to get through” | | 50:03 | Humorous close: “If you think you’re grandstanding, I'd like to introduce you to Eric Swalwell.” |

Tone and Style

The conversation is sharp, highly critical of Democratic strategy and motives, and often sardonic about congressional procedure. Both host and guest employ a blend of policy wonk precision and populist rhetoric, stressing the urgency and basic fairness of election integrity measures.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode serves as a comprehensive breakdown of why the SAVE America Act—requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship—faces such daunting odds in the Senate despite broad public support. Listeners are guided through the byzantine rules of Congress, the realpolitik influencing party positions (especially on the left, but not sparing GOP defections), and the broader power struggle underlying seemingly technical debates about elections. While the tone is often exasperated, both Kittle and Lane drive home the stakes for American democracy and the imperative for persistent, savvy advocacy. The episode is a trenchant guide for anyone trying to understand why basic election reforms stall in Washington, even when public opinion appears overwhelmingly on their side.