Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accused President Donald Trump on Monday of threatening to paralyze Congress in order to force passage of a controversial election bill that Democrats say would suppress voter participation.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said Trump recently declared he would refuse to sign any legislation until Congress approves the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
Schumer described the measure as “Jim Crow 2.0,” arguing that it would impose sweeping new restrictions on voting and voter registration.
Among the changes he cited were limits on vote-by-mail and stricter requirements for registering to vote. Schumer said the bill would require voters to provide documents such as a passport or an original birth certificate to register, which he pointed out many Americans do not readily have access to.
He also warned that the legislation would require states to turn over voter registration data to the Justice Department, raising concerns among Democrats that voter rolls could be purged on a large scale.
Schumer pointed to proposals he said were inspired by tech billionaire and DOGE architect Elon Musk to use artificial intelligence systems to review voter rolls, arguing such efforts could remove millions of eligible voters without their knowledge.
“They show up at the voting place on Election Day and are told they’re no longer on the rolls,” Schumer warned.
The New York Democrat also said eliminating vote-by-mail would disproportionately affect people with disabilities and others who rely on remote voting options.
Schumer, Democrats Take A Stand Against The SAVE Act Despite Trump’s Threats
Schumer warned that Trump’s demand could effectively bring legislative activity to a halt if the president refuses to sign unrelated bills unless the voting measure passes.
“If Trump is saying he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, there will be total gridlock in Congress,” Schumer said.
At the same time, he argued that if the legislation were enacted, it would threaten the integrity of U.S. elections by making it significantly harder for eligible Americans to vote.
Schumer accused the president of using the threat of legislative paralysis to pressure lawmakers into approving the bill.
“In effect, he’s saying that unless Congress helps him undermine democracy, he’s prepared to hold the rest of the country hostage,” Schumer stated.
Schumer added that Democrats would oppose the measure and said the party would work to ensure it does not become law.
