The Republican-led effort to attach key provisions of the SAVE America Act to a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security was rejected by the Senate majority early Thursday morning. The proposal, which aimed to include election integrity measures such as voter ID requirements and tighter voting timelines, failed after a vote of 48 to 50. Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell, who have been critical of former President Donald Trump in the past, joined Democrats in opposing the measure.
This vote took place during the Senate’s “vote-a-rama,” a session where lawmakers propose votes on a wide range of amendments to budget-related legislation. Despite efforts from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator John Kennedy, who tried to push the SAVE America Act forward, the proposal lacked enough support within the Republican Party. Kennedy had hoped to bypass some Senate rules governing the reconciliation process, but his actions did not gain sufficient traction among his colleagues.
The provisions in the SAVE America Act included measures such as requiring voter ID for federal elections, restricting voting to Election Day, and mandating the counting of ballots within 36 hours, with a $10 billion cap for implementing these changes. The Senate Rules Committee, which would have been responsible for drafting the legislation, is chaired by McConnell, who opposed the proposal. While Collins supported broader aspects of the SAVE America Act, she did not back the specific version of the bill being pushed forward.
As this debate unfolded, President Trump continued to advocate for the SAVE America Act, even stating that he would not sign any bills until it was passed in its entirety. The issue remains a focal point in the ongoing political discussions within the Senate, though attention in recent weeks has been diverted to other topics, including the GOP’s reconciliation efforts, surveillance reauthorizations, and the ongoing conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, Republican leaders like McConnell have shown support for Trump’s stance on Iran, despite the criticisms from various global and domestic voices.