President Donald Trump's SAVE America bill, which mandates voter ID and election security reforms, is facing Republican obstacles in the Senate. One of the biggest hurdles is the absence of Senate Rules Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell, who has been away from the Senate for over a month due to health issues.
McConnell's absence has slowed the process of shaping the bill through budget reconciliation. Another critical loss in the process was the recent death of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, who had managed two reconciliation processes last year. His replacement, Senator Ron Johnson, told Fox News Digital, 'From what I understand, this falls to the budget. We're still very early in the process, so I don't have all the answers.'
Senate Majority Leader John Thune stressed that his priority is to prevent a government shutdown. Thune told Fox News Digital that Republicans currently don't have the votes to pass SAVE America and that the bill in its current form does not comply with the Senate's strict reconciliation rules. 'If it is structured very carefully around incentives, especially grant money to states, it could work,' Thune said, warning 'But the math hasn't changed yet; it will likely need 60 votes.'
Trump Steps Up Pressure Before the Holiday
President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, called on Republicans to pass a budget resolution before the Labor Day holiday that includes defense, agriculture, and 'as much as possible of SAVE America.' 'Our voters will be extremely happy, even impressed,' Trump said, maintaining the pressure.
Kennedy Lays Out His Own Plan
Senator John Kennedy said the only way to pass SAVE America is through reconciliation. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Kennedy claimed that the plan he is working on presents a 'credible argument' that it could pass the Senate's 'Byrd' test. 'I can't guarantee it, but there's at least a 50/50 chance. At the right time, I'll try to persuade my colleagues and, more importantly, the parliamentarian,' he said.
Senator Ron Johnson also expressed concerns about the process, saying, 'This could be a problem; there are many issues.'
