I'm not an optimist, per se. But when it comes to America, I'm an upbeat patriot. I believe wholeheartedly in Americans, the greatness of this country and the strength of our democratic republic – especially when it comes to elections.

But I might be alone in this. According to a March NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll, Americans' confidence in fair elections has actually dropped: 34% of Americans have little or no confidence in their elections, up from 24% since 2024.

This is why it's so disappointing to see Congress fail over and over to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act or the SAVE America Act. It's so simple, I can't believe it's not the law already. It would require "in person" documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Concerns that it would make voting difficult for married women or other groups of people, because documentation is hard to acquire, are overblown.

Voter ID standards aren't even controversial in other countries.

President Donald Trump, elected by the people in an unprecedented victory, is pushing hard for it. Americans in both parties overwhelmingly support requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification, yet Congress continues to stall with no resolution.

From the looks of it, both parties are to blame, but as a conservative, I blame Republicans more. Congress has one job. Our elected officials are there to represent us – we the people. If they cannot or will not pass this measure because they prefer to play politics and keep power over enacting the will of the people, they deserve to be voted out. And we should not hesitate to do so.

It shouldn't be this hard to pass something the majority of Americans want.

The SAVE Act keeps getting stalled

The SAVE Act has already passed the U.S. House with some bipartisan support. But it's stalled in the Senate, where Republican (and Democratic) lawmakers are treating it like a rare circus animal, parading it around for show, yet creating a cacophony of chaos.

I mostly blame Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, is responsible for pushing this bill through, but so far, he has quashed Trump's pressure to pass it.

"We don’t have the votes either to proceed, get on a talking filibuster nor sustain one if we got on it, but that’s just a function of math, and there isn’t anything I can do about that,” Thune told reporters March 11.

But Thune's hands are not as tied as he thinks. Why doesn't he bring up the House bill that's already passed? It would pass in the Senate with a simple majority if the filibuster were exhausted and defeated procedurally. It would let Americans see who is causing the roadblock.

It makes me wonder: Are Senate Republicans even trying? It's like the kid in a group project who keeps saying, "We should really get started," but never writes a single line.

In an opinion column in the New York Post on March 11, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote that he now supports changing the filibuster because he believes that "Democrats are weaponizing the Senate’s rules to block the SAVE America Act."  

"My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies," Cornyn wrote. "But when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt."

Cornyn's change of heart opens the door for future majorities in either party to pass controversial laws with only 51 votes, so I have mixed feelings on whether this should happen.

Americans must hold Congress accountable

I'm frustrated with some Republicans, but there are others besides Cornyn who are taking this seriously, like members of the House.

In an opinion column for Fox News, House Reps. Randy Fine of Florida, Keith Self of Texas and Mark Harris of North Carolina wrote, "Enough is enough. It's time for House Republicans to draw a line in the sand: We are prepared to vote no on any Senate legislation until the upper chamber stops dragging its feet and passes the SAVE America Act."

I support this kind of drastic measure.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R- Florida, has been an absolute stalwart on this bill. In an interview with Fox Business, she said, "This is really 100% on Leader Thune. I know for a fact the American people have told their senators what they want, both Democrats and Republicans."

Americans in both parties, Republican and Democrat, must hold both parties responsible for failing to enact a measure that the majority support. In a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, 85% of voters say only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote, and 71% support the SAVE America Act ‒ including 50% of Democrats and 69% of independents.

Congress has only one job: to enact the will of the people. It shouldn't be this hard to pass legislation that most Americans want. If our elected officials can't do this, they should be looking over their shoulders come November elections.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.

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