Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that advancing the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration, faces significant procedural hurdles despite pressure from President Donald Trump. Much of the push for the bill comes from online influencers rather than within the Senate. Internal GOP disputes and other legislative priorities add to the uncertainty.
Senate Republican leaders have suggested that passing the SAVE Act, demanded by President Donald Trump, will be more complex than some conservatives anticipate. The legislation, which the House has already approved, would introduce nationwide election integrity measures, including proof-of-citizenship documentation for voter registration and voter identification for both in-person and mail ballots.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) attributed much of the current pressure to an online "paid influencer ecosystem," rather than internal Senate dynamics. Trump has intensified calls for Senate action, stating he would refuse to sign any legislation without the SAVE Act included.
Thune acknowledged support among GOP senators but expressed uncertainty about the process: "the process and how do you ultimately try and get a result is still unclear to me." Some conservatives have proposed using a talking filibuster to force the bill forward with a simple majority, but Thune warned of challenges. "The talking filibuster issue is one on which there is not, certainly, a unified Republican conference, and there would have to be," he said after a Senate GOP meeting.
Such a strategy would involve numerous amendments and procedural votes, demanding near-perfect unity: "If you go down that path, you’re talking about the need to table what are going to be numerous amendments and an ability to keep 50 Republicans unified, pretty much on every single vote." Thune noted there is currently no support for this approach.
Republicans are balancing other priorities, such as funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a housing bill. "We want to get to the SAVE Act," Thune said, but a filibuster would complicate those efforts.
The stall has sparked public GOP infighting. House Republicans like Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Tim Burchett (R-TN), along with Trump, have criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for allegedly blocking the bill, with Trump mocking him online. McConnell's office refuted this, stating he "has not, at any point in time, prevented a floor vote on any version of the SAVE Act," and the House-passed version awaits Senate consideration.
Thune's comments highlight procedural obstacles amid conservative frustration, leaving the path forward unsettled.
