House Majority Whip Tom Emmer is turning up the pressure on the U.S. Senate, demanding to know why legislation requiring proof of citizenship and voter identification remains stalled despite what he described as overwhelming public support.

Appearing on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Emmer argued that the Republican-controlled House has repeatedly done its job by passing major pieces of the GOP agenda — only to watch them languish in the Senate.

“The House has been working,” Emmer said. “We’ve been getting our stuff over to the Senate. The Senate’s got to start to perform.”

Among the legislation Emmer singled out was the SAVE America Act, which would establish new federal election-integrity requirements centered on citizenship verification and voter identification.

“We sent the SAVE America Act several times, and it sits over there languishing in the Senate,” Emmer said.

The Minnesota Republican also pointed to the CLARITY Act on digital assets and what he called “Reconciliation 3.0” as additional House priorities awaiting Senate action.

But Emmer reserved some of his strongest criticism for the Senate’s apparent inability to assemble the votes necessary to advance the SAVE America Act.

Guest host Cheryl Casone noted that it remained unclear whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune had enough support to move the legislation.

Emmer was incredulous.

“What’s coming out of the Senate? Everybody has heard them say, ‘We don’t have the votes.’ Really?” Emmer asked. “You don’t have the votes for something that is an 80 percent issue across this country?”

Emmer said the basic principles behind the legislation should be straightforward: voters should establish that they are U.S. citizens and verify their identity when casting a ballot.

“People believe it’s reasonable that in order to vote in this country, you must first establish that you are a lawful citizen,” Emmer said.

He continued by arguing voters should also be required to confirm their identity with photo identification.

“That’s an 80 percent issue,” Emmer said.

The House GOP whip then challenged senators who claim the votes simply are not there to explain exactly which provisions they oppose.

“When you say you don’t have the votes, tell us what the problem is,” Emmer said. “What exactly do you disagree with when it comes to the American people? And they are not telling us that.”

The confrontation comes as Congress prepares for a compressed legislative stretch, with lawmakers facing government funding and other major deadlines.

Emmer said the House expects to address a continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through December 11, along with appropriations measures and a surface transportation bill.

But his message to the Senate was unmistakable: the House has already sent over major pieces of the Republican agenda, and senators now need to act.

“It really is going to be on the Senate’s shoulders to start getting something done when we get back,” Emmer said.

With the SAVE America Act still hanging in the balance, the pressure is increasingly shifting toward Senate Republicans — and toward an uncomfortable question raised by Emmer:

If citizenship verification and voter ID really command the level of public support he says they do, why can’t the Senate find the votes?

Big League Politics