Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) indicated he plans to force another vote on the SAVE America Act during an upcoming vote-a-rama tied to a reconciliation bill later this month after an initial vote failed in April, as he attempts to help deliver a signature piece of legislation sought by President Donald Trump.
Whether that effort gains traction remains uncertain, but the fight over the bill is likely to continue as Republicans weigh political pressure against legislative realities.
Senate Republican leaders were backing away from holding additional votes on the bill, a voter ID and proof of citizenship proposal that has divided the party and struggled to gain traction in the chamber. The decision comes after recent votes signaled the measure lacks sufficient support to advance.
Advertisement
The bill, which has been championed by several GOP lawmakers, has become a flashpoint between Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), highlighting broader tensions within the party over legislative strategy, Punchbowl News reported.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) acknowledged the divide, particularly over whether to eliminate the filibuster to pass the legislation. “I completely understand my colleagues who want to maintain the filibuster. We all want to maintain the filibuster, honestly,” Johnson said. “But I know the Democrats won’t. That’s the only division here.”
Reopening debate on the SAVE Act would require another procedural vote at a simple majority threshold, a move GOP leaders are reluctant to pursue as they prioritize other legislative goals, including reconciliation and reauthorization of surveillance authorities.
Advertisement
A recent vote on the bill fell short of 50 votes, reinforcing concerns among Republican leaders that the measure cannot pass in its current form. That outcome has led many supporters to reconsider their approach.
“We had a test vote. It failed,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Pa.). “So we’ve got to rethink what that means.”
Despite the setback, some Republicans are urging leadership not to abandon the effort. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) argued that the full bill has yet to receive a proper vote and deserves further consideration.
“We’ve not voted on it,” Schmitt said. “So I think we need to spend the requisite time on it and then … let the chips fall as they may as far as seeing where people are at.”
Advertisement
Others see the failed vote as evidence that more dramatic steps would be required to pass the legislation. Johnson said the process demonstrated that eliminating the filibuster may be the only viable path, though only a small number of Republican senators currently support that option.
The debate comes at a sensitive time for Senate Republicans, who are balancing internal disagreements with a packed legislative calendar ahead of the election cycle. Party leaders have signaled they prefer to avoid extended floor fights that could distract from other priorities.
Despite tensions, Thune’s leadership position appears secure. Sen. Mike Lee described him as widely respected within the conference and dismissed speculation about any leadership challenge.
That stability, however, has not resolved the broader conflict over the SAVE Act and its political implications. The issue continues to energize segments of the Republican base, putting pressure on lawmakers to revisit the proposal.
Advertisement
In April, the Republican majority in the Senate rejected a GOP-led effort to attach key provisions of election integrity legislation sought by President Trump to a measure to fund agencies of the Department of Homeland Security for years during an early Thursday morning vote.
Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined all Democrats in rejecting attaching a modified version of the SAVE America Act to a bill funding immigration enforcement, Fox News reported.
Their defection occurred during the Senate’s lengthy “vote-a-rama,” where lawmakers could propose votes on a wide range of amendments, regardless of their alignment with the main budget plan.
This article may contain commentary
which reflects the author’s opinion.
