Action 233 The SAVE Act – again!
Background: We certainly hoped this unconscionable act had been killed and buried. We’ve been sending Action Items about it since January of 2025! (See Actions # 9, 24, 54, 77, 81, 88, 90, 92, 118, 210, 211. If you want to read them, I suggest going to https://isledems.org/actionitems where there is a complete archive.) Trump knows that if he doesn’t prevent millions of Americans from voting, his party will probably lose both houses of Congress and he will be impeached and removed from office. (1) So, once again, he is trying a sneaky way of achieving voter suppression, by unearthing this zombie SAVE act and attaching it to “must pass” legislation.
This time it involves Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Trump has threatened to veto Section 702 unless the full SAVE act is attached to it. (2) Now, FISA should be reformed to better protect the privacy of American citizens (3), but what Trump wants to do is the opposite. The inclusion of SAVE act provisions would enshrine strict voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements to our voting laws. Another, bizarre inclusion would ban gender-affirming care for minors and restrict transgender women from women's sports. What does this have to do with Foreign Intelligence Surveillance? Absolutely nothing. It’s just another example of how Congress functions behind a cloud of sneaky obfuscation and shell games. Let’s clean the swamp this November! (4)
Action: Once again, contact our Congressional Delegation. We object to any attempt to include SAVE act provisions in ANY upcoming legislation, including Section 702 of FISA. We will be watching their votes. You might also let them know that Trump is obviously unfit to hold the office of the Presidency, and you look forward to them admitting it publicly.
Contacts:Senator Susan Collins: Email: www.collins.senate.gov/contact/email-senator-collins/form
Phone: (202) 224-2523 (DC office), (207) 945-0417 (Bangor office)
Senator Angus King: Email www.king.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-5344 (DC office), (207) 945-8000 (Bangor office)
Representative Jared Golden: Email: golden.house.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-3121 (DC office), (207) 249-7400 (Bangor office)
Representative Chellie Pingree: Email: https://pingree.house.gov/contact/
Phone: (202) 225-6116 (DC office), (207) 774-5019 (Portland office)
Urgency: The FISA bill is currently stalled in Congress, but “essential” Section 702 activities are continuing under the old rules through March 2027. So, no harm in registering your objections by the end of the month. An easy task!
Extra Credit:
(2) https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-repeats-demands-gop-pass-anti-voting-save-america-act-despite-losing-recent-votes/ For full text of SAVE act, see https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22/text
(3) https://epic.org/fisa-section-702-almost-certain-to-expire-after-house-votes-against-extension-epic-continues-to-urge-reforms/
(4) See video embedded in https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590870005142