U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Tuesday became a cosponsor of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require states to obtain proof of citizenship in order to register individuals to vote in federal elections.
Hagerty wrote in a post to X last week that he met with Lee to discuss “the importance of election integrity and making sure only Americans vote” and announced for the first time that he planned to cosponsor the SAVE Act.
The senator made his decision official on Tuesday, announcing he had become an “official cosponsor” of the bill.
“This important legislation strengthens election integrity,” said Hagerty. “The right to vote in American elections belongs to American citizens alone.”
I am now an official cosponsor of @SenMikeLee’s SAVE Act.
This important legislation strengthens election integrity. The right to vote in American elections belongs to American citizens alone. https://t.co/eSLQvRhQn0
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) January 27, 2026
Hagerty joins Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who became a cosponsor of the current version of the bill last April. She has supported the effort for years, including during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Blackburn said of Biden in 2024, “Under this administration, there have been more than 10.2 million illegal crossings—with countless illegal aliens receiving government benefits, including drivers’ licenses and state IDs. Of course, illegal aliens can break the law and use state IDs to register to vote.”
Congressional records show the legislation has attracted 41 cosponsors since Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the SAVE Act in January 2025.
In the House of Representatives, the SAVE Act passed last April, and U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) called on his Senate colleagues on Tuesday to pass their version and send the final bill to President Donald Trump for his signature.
“The SAVE Act should be at the very top of the Republican agenda. All illegal voters must be suppressed,” said Ogles. “The President has demanded action; he has the mandate from the American people, and Congress has no excuse for delay.”
Trump endorsed the legislation earlier this month, during a January 6 speech before House Republicans, when he argued, “The only reason somebody doesn’t want that is because they want to cheat.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has claimed Democrats are unified in opposition to the SAVE Act, setting the stage for another potential push to end the Senate filibuster. With only 53 Republicans in the Senate, the bill will require 60 votes to pass.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “People Voting” by Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0.
