Requiring

Congressional Republicans, backed by President Trump, are advancing the SAVE America Act in the Senate this week after House passage last month, mandating documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration alongside photo ID requirements. The bill's strict provisions, lacking any phase-in period, would take immediate effect if signed into law, potentially impacting midterm elections by burdening millions of eligible voters without easy access to documents like birth certificates or passports. Critics including the Fair Elections Center warn it could disenfranchise married women, people of color, and rural residents, moving the U.S. 'in the opposite direction' of representative democracy. Noncitizen voting remains rare and illegal nationwide, but Republicans argue the safeguards enhance election integrity.

Congressional Republicans, backed by President Donald Trump, are advancing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in the Senate next week after House passage last month, mandating documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration alongside photo ID requirements. The bill's strict documentation rules, lacking a phase-in period, could immediately impact midterm elections, potentially burdening millions including married women, people of color, and rural voters who may lack easy access to birth certificates or passports. Critics like Rebekah Caruthers of the Fair Elections Center warn it denies eligible Americans their voting rights, moving the U.S. opposite representative democracy, while Republicans claim it bolsters election integrity against rare noncitizen voting. If signed by Trump, the provisions apply without delay for November midterms.

Congress is slated to debate the Save America Act next week, a Trump-backed bill mandating citizenship proof for voter registration and restricting mail-in ballots. The proposal aims to enhance election integrity amid partisan divides. Critics warn of disenfranchisement risks for millions, while supporters cite fraud prevention. Passage could reshape 2026 midterms and beyond.

The US Commerce Department withdrew a planned rule on Friday that would have required permits for exports of advanced AI chips from companies like Nvidia and AMD to global customers. The abandoned Trump administration proposal aimed to involve case-by-case reviews by the Commerce Department's licensing office, contingent on factors such as government agreements and end-user computing power needs. Commerce officials rejected returning to the prior administration's 'burdensome, overreaching and disastrous' AI diffusion framework. This decision eases restrictions on the semiconductor industry amid ongoing trade tensions.