WSJM: Walberg: budget resolution will lead to elements of SAVE Act being implemented

The U.S. House has narrowly approved a budget framework for the coming fiscal year, averting a potential government shutdown in October and advancing parts of the SAVE Act.

Congressman Tim Walberg tells us Republicans on Wednesday advanced the continuing budget resolution, evading attempts by Democrats to force a shutdown.

“Our effort was to run an appropriations bill, a continuing resolution that can really bypass that filibuster and give us full funding for the government through the elections and into the first part of December to make sure that everything remains funded,” Walberg said. “We don’t have shutdowns of TSA agents at the airports. We don’t have shutdowns of our military getting paid.”

Walberg says the resolution makes no major changes to the budget, but it does set the stage for partial passage of the SAVE Act through a reconciliation process. He says this will include $10 billion in election security grants tied to that law, pushed heavily by President Trump.

“It will be more limited in fashion, but an effort again to hit it several ways to the point that the Senate can’t justifiably block it because the president is ready to sign it.”

Walberg says most of the SAVE Act can be implemented via this method. The SAVE Act is an election security measure favored by the president because it requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Walberg says the vast majority of Americans support secure elections.