House GOP weds SAVE Act to key funding bill, unshouldering burden of success onto Thune and company

House Republicans are linking the SAVE America Act, which aims to secure election integrity, with the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, placing the onus on Senate Republicans to either support both measures or neither. Speaker Mike Johnson described this strategy as a "merge onto the rule," referencing a military acronym. This move is significant as it forces Senate GOP leaders, including Thune, to decide whether to prioritize election security or national defense funding, highlighting the potential political and electoral implications of their choice.