Schmitt’s amendment includes provisions to: · End mail-in balloting with exceptions for military, illness, travel, and disability
End mail-in balloting in federal elections, with exceptions for military, illness, travel, and disability.
Occurrences
The substitute amendment currently used for Senate debate on the measure, an amendment from Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., to an unrelated bill, would ban states from using universal mail voting and restrict situations where voters can use absentee ballots.
Schmitt emphasized the importance of ... ending mass mail-in balloting to ensure election integrity.
...and ending mass mail-in balloting.
it could push the Senate toward that process and get Democrats on record voting against 80-20 issues such as requiring voter ID, proof of citizenship for voter registration, securing mail-in ballots, banning men from women’s sports, and outlawing the transgender mutilation of children.
limit mail voting, requiring most ballots to be cast in person and restricting absentee voting to specific circumstances such as illness, disability, or verified travel.
...cutting down on mass mail-in balloting to prevent potential election fraud.
His amendment would ... eliminate mail-in voting, with exceptions for military service, illness, travel and disability.
The new amendment would prohibit states from conducting federal elections by 'universal vote-by-mail,' with exceptions for military, illness, or verified travel.
FACT: Voting by mail increases the risk of fraud. The Commission on Federal Election Reform warned that voting by mail is 'likely to increase the risks of fraud and of contested elections,' ... the House Republican Policy Committee found that mass mail-in voting 'increases opportunities for error and fraud in states that do not maintain clean voter rolls' and 'brings about an inherent set of risks that jeopardize the integrity of American elections and create absurdities that dampen faith in our electoral system.'
Evidence
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) announced he will be introducing a substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act to include President Trump’s priorities to restore election integrity, keep men out of women’s sports, and protect children from gender mutilation surgeries. Schmitt’s amendment includes provisions to: Require all voters to show ID; Require proof of citizenship to vote; End mail-in balloting with exceptions for military, illness, travel, and disability.
Sen. Eric Schmitt is introducing a new version of the GOP’s voter ID and citizenship verification bill after consulting with President Donald Trump. The Missouri Republican’s substitute amendment would fulfill Trump’s calls to expand the legislation to limit mail-in voting, gender-related surgeries for children, and biological men competing in women’s sports. The new amendment would prohibit states from conducting federal elections by 'universal vote-by-mail,' with exceptions for military, illness, or verified travel.
Trump has railed against mail-in voting for years, including through evidence-free accusations of fraud in the 2020 election. He also pushed allies in Congress to limit mail-in ballots in most circumstances through provisions of his proposed SAVE America Act voter identification bill. The substitute amendment currently used for Senate debate on the measure, an amendment from Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., to an unrelated bill, would ban states from using universal mail voting and restrict situations where voters can use absentee ballots.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox Business’ Evening Edit to tout the SAVE America Act as common sense legislation that the majority of Americans support, and to call out Senate Democrats on opposing voter ID. Schmitt emphasized the importance of requiring voter ID and ending mass mail-in balloting to ensure election integrity.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox News’ Hannity to call for the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act. Schmitt highlighted the importance of requiring proof of citizenship to vote, showing photo ID, and cutting down on mass mail-in balloting to prevent potential election fraud.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox News’ Ingraham Angle to debunk the Democrats’ lies about the SAVE America Act and highlight the common sense provisions included in his substitute amendment. Schmitt emphasized that American elections should be for American citizens and advocated for showing photo ID and ending mass mail-in balloting.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) announced he will be introducing a substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act to include President Trump’s priorities to restore election integrity, keep men out of women’s sports, and protect children from gender mutilation surgeries. Schmitt’s amendment includes provisions to: Require all voters to show ID; Require proof of citizenship to vote; End mail-in balloting with exceptions for military, illness, travel, and disability; Keep men out of women’s sports; Protect children from transgender mutilation surgeries.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox Business’ Evening Edit to tout the SAVE America Act as common sense legislation that the majority of Americans support, and to call out Senate Democrats on opposing voter ID.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox News’ Ingraham Angle to debunk the Democrats’ lies about the SAVE America Act and highlight the common sense provisions included in his substitute amendment.
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) joined Fox News’ Hannity to call for the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act.
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that he filed 11 amendments to the Republicans’ SAVE America Act, a bill that would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters by implementing extreme voter ID requirements that are designed to prevent Americans from exercising their fundamental right to vote.
On Tuesday, the Senate voted to open debate on the SAVE America Act. The motion passed 51-48, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joining all Democrats in opposition and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) not voting. Debate is expected to stretch on for days, if not weeks, as Senate Republicans work to garner enough votes for full passage.
On March 17, the Senate began debate on the SAVE America Act, a Republican-backed voter identification and registration bill that passed the House last month.
The Senate is expected to vote as early as this weekend on the SAVE America Act, a voter suppression bill that would make it more difficult for U.S. citizens to vote in person or by mail.
The Senate continued consideration of the House message accompanying the SAVE America Act, with Thune (for Schmitt) Amendment No. 4420 still pending; the digest also notes a unanimous-consent agreement for further consideration on March 21, 2026.
Congress.gov lists the SAVE Act's latest action as July 23, 2024: 'Senate - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 439.' It also shows two roll call votes and no enactment into law.
Assessments
The promised federal policy has not been enacted. Schmitt materially advanced the idea during his Senate term by announcing and promoting a substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act that would restrict universal/mail-in voting with exceptions for military service, illness, travel, and disability, and Senate debate proceeded on that vehicle. However, available legislative evidence indicates the measure remained pending or failed to advance in the Senate by late March 2026 and did not become law as of May 20, 2026. Because there was a serious legislative attempt but no delivered statutory outcome, this is a failed promise with effort credit.
Senator Eric Schmitt actively introduced and promoted a substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act that would end mail-in balloting in federal elections, with narrowly defined exceptions, matching the campaign promise. He participated in media appearances, led legislative initiatives, and pushed for Senate floor debate. However, the bill faced significant legislative opposition and did not achieve passage or enactment, so the promised outcome was not delivered. The documented legislative effort was substantial.
Senator Eric Schmitt made a serious legislative attempt by drafting, introducing, and advocating for an amendment to the SAVE America Act that would end mail-in balloting in federal elections with enumerated exceptions. Evidence shows he promoted and included these measures as part of his legislative activity throughout the same term, making public appearances and seeking Senate passage. However, there is no evidence the proposal passed into law or was implemented, so the promise itself was not fulfilled, despite significant legislative effort.