Fetterman received a “Jim Crow 2.0” tag for conservation law

Senate Minority Leader Chuck SchumerNew York State Democrats and Senate Democrats almost unanimously rejected the Protecting American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, election integrity legislation that made its way through the House of Representatives earlier this week.

Schumer called the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0,” arguing that it would suppress voters rather than encourage safer elections.

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Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, speaks to a reporter as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote on December 3, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

But Fetterman, who repeatedly rejected him Party messages and positionsretracted Schumer’s wording of the bill.

“I would never refer to the SAVE Act as being like Jim Crow 2.0 or any kind of mass conspiracy,” Fetterman told Fox News Channel’s Kayleigh McEnany on “Saturday in America.”

“But that’s part of the discussion we’ve been having Here in the Senate “Right now,” he continued, “and I’m not calling people names or suggesting that this is disgusting in terms of the terrible history of Jim Crow.”

The bill would require voters to present a photo ID before casting a ballot, require proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote, and also remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

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Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, announced her support for the Save America Act, but she would not go so far as to attack the Senate’s decision to use nuclear weapons. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Momentum is growing among Republicans. Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, became the 50th member of the caucus to support the legislation. But Senate Democrats ensured its demise in the upper chamber, through the filibuster.

Fetterman did not say whether he directly supports the bill. However, he noted, “84% of Americans have no problem with it Provide ID cards to vote“.

“So it’s not a radical idea,” Fetterman said. “It’s not a thing — and there are already several states that show basic ID. And that’s where we’re at in the Senate.”

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats are poised to go against the SAVE Act. (Kevin Deitch/Getty)

Even if Fetterman supports the bill on the floor, it is unlikely to pass without further significant procedural changes.

There are currently not enough votes to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Fetterman isn’t keen on it either Eliminate procrastination – a position shared by most Republicans in the Senate.

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He noted that Senate Democrats previously favored eliminating the filibuster, but now want to preserve it while they are a minority in a Republican-controlled government.

“I campaigned on that basis, too,” Fetterman said. “I mean, we were so wrong about dropping the atomic bomb. We have to humble ourselves and remind people that we wanted to eliminate it — and now we love it.”