Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) criticized the Senate for delaying a defense-budget reconciliation package and the SAVE America Act during a July 16 interview.
The delay is significant because it ties military funding to election integrity measures ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Mast said the current legislative deadlock jeopardizes U.S. military readiness and leaves the voting process vulnerable to fraud.
Speaking on Maria Bartiromo’s "Sunday Morning Futures" program, Mast said the Senate's inaction on the defense budget is a betrayal of our troops and our national security. The reconciliation package in question totals approximately $800 billion [1].
Mast also focused on the SAVE America Act, which aims to restrict certain mail-in ballot practices. He said if we don't get the SAVE America Act through now, the midterms will be decided by illegal mail-in ballots. According to reports, three Senate roadblocks have stalled the progress of the act [2].
House Republicans have attempted to revive the legislation by attaching it to the broader spending bill. Mast said we have a clear plan to attach the SAVE America Act to the spending bill, but the Senate is dragging its feet.
There are conflicting reports regarding the bill's viability. While some members of both parties have described the SAVE America Act as all but dead, other reports indicate House Republicans have successfully resurrected it by linking it to essential spending.
Expectations for a vote also vary. Some Republicans believe the Senate will finally vote on the defense budget and the SAVE America Act this week, though Senate leaders have signaled further delays.
“"The Senate's inaction on the defense budget is a betrayal of our troops and our national security."”
The tension between the House and Senate highlights a GOP strategy to use 'must-pass' funding legislation as leverage for election-related policy changes. By attaching the SAVE America Act to an $800 billion defense budget, Republicans are attempting to force a vote on controversial voting laws that might otherwise lack the necessary Senate support.
