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By Alia Shoaib
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A group of Republican senators is demanding that chamber leaders cancel the upcoming August recess to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a GOP-backed voting bill championed by President Donald Trump ahead of this year's midterm elections.
While proponents argue the measure is critical to election security, it remains unclear whether keeping lawmakers in Washington longer will resolve the primary obstacle facing the legislation: a lack of support to overcome a potential Democratic filibuster in the Senate.
Republicans Call for Senate to Stay in Session
The push to scrap the recess and focus immediately on the legislation is being led by the following senators:
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- Mike Lee of Utah
- Rick Scott of Florida
- Jim Banks of Indiana
- Ashley Moody of Florida
Lee posted a statement on X on Saturday addressed to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, writing: “I hereby object to any effort to put the Senate into recess in August—at least until such time as the Senate has passed the SAVE America Act—and hereby request a roll call vote. Do not assume you have my consent. You do not.”
Scott responded to Lee’s post on X and wrote: “I will vote to stay in session unless we have passed the SAVE America Act. The American people expect us to deliver. They deserve secure elections.”
Meanwhile, Banks told Fox News’ The Big Weekend Show on Sunday: “We don’t need a recess. Let’s pass the SAVE America Act. It’s more important than taking a break.”
He added: “I’m back in Indiana for the weekend; I head back to Washington tomorrow. I’ve heard from people everywhere I go, from the diner this morning to the grocery store, ‘Pass the SAVE America Act.’ We have to get it done,”
Moody also backed scrapping the recess, writing on X on Sunday: “I didn’t come to the United States Senate because I needed something to do. I’m serving because there are things we need to get done for the American People. The Senate needs to stay in session until we can get the SAVE America Act to the floor and passed."
Newsweek contacted the four senators via contact form on their websites on Monday.
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The SAVE Act Faces a Senate Math Problem
The SAVE Act would require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Supporters argue the rule is necessary to prevent noncitizens from casting ballots, while critics contend it creates unnecessary barriers for eligible voters and targets an extremely rare occurrence.
While the House has passed versions of the legislation multiple times, the bill has repeatedly stalled in the Senate.
The central hurdle is the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote threshold to end debate and advance most bills. With Republicans holding a 53-seat majority, they would need at least seven Democratic or independent votes to reach 60, assuming uniform Republican support.
During the Senate's most recent attempt to advance the SAVE Act in June, four Republican senators, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, and Thom Tillis, joined Democrats to block it after it was attached to the nearly $70 billion package geared toward funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.
Meanwhile, some conservatives have called for altering filibuster rules, but Thune said earlier this year that “there aren't anywhere close to the votes” to do so.
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Scott, in comments to Fox Business earlier this month, suggested there are other ways for Republicans to advance parts of the SAVE Act, including attaching provisions to other major bills or trying to pass individual measures from the legislation, such as voter ID requirements or requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
Republicans have also explored the possibility of using budget reconciliation, a procedural mechanism that allows certain fiscal measures to pass with a simple majority, bypassing the 60-vote threshold. However, reconciliation rules strictly limit measures to provisions with a primary connection to federal spending, revenue, or the deficit, leaving parts of the voting bill vulnerable to procedural rejection.
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Thune Under Pressure
Trump has publicly pressured Thune to secure passage of the SAVE Act before the August recess.
“Everybody call John Thune at the Senate. He’s the leader of the Republican Party. And tell them to get this stuff approved,” the president said at a rally in Georgia last week.
On Monday morning, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Senate majority leader "should not allow the United States Senate to 'leave town' until it passes" the SAVE Act or terminate the filibuster, adding that "Republicans can then quickly pass everything they ever dreamed of."
Thune has defended his leadership, pushing back against outside criticism and maintaining the core issue is arithmetic rather than time.
Responding to criticisms from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt after she said Trump's “patience is running out” with the GOP leader, Thune told reporters last week, “Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. It’s 50 around here.”
Several GOP lawmakers, including Tillis and Collins, have rallied to support Thune's position.
So, while canceling the August recess would afford senators additional time in Washington, it may not alter the fundamental math required to advance the legislation.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Tobias Meyjes and Anthony Murray.
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