Senate Republicans are planning a marathon debate on President Donald Trump’s marquee elections bill, a move designed to ease tensions with the MAGA Right after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ruled out a talking filibuster.
Thune’s staff has been gaming out days of floor debate that are likely to begin next Monday or Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. Also involved are the White House legislative affairs office and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the lead co-sponsor of the legislation, dubbed the SAVE America Act.
The contours of that process are still coming together, with Thune first announcing the strategy to his conference on Tuesday, but the overall goal is to replicate a talking filibuster, a way to skirt the usual 60-vote threshold.
The strategy falls short of Lee’s request, amplified by Trump and outside activists, that Thune implement a genuine talking filibuster, which only requires 50 votes, and send the bill to the president’s desk. Thune announced earlier this week that he lacked the GOP support to go that route, sparking new rounds of criticism from the Right.
Under Thune’s plan, the 60-vote marker remains intact, but Republicans would try to put public pressure on Democrats on everything from voter ID to unrelated topics such as transgender politics, issues that Trump wants to make a litmus test for the midterm elections.
Both sides would get time to speak in support or opposition to the bill, though Republicans control what gets brought up for a vote, and much of the strategy involves keeping Democrats on defense.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will need to keep at least one senator on the floor at all times to block the SAVE America Act from passing. The only danger that Republicans will have to navigate is if Democrats offer privileged motions to try to hijack the process.
One GOP aide told the Washington Examiner that the debate could last through the weekend, with leadership encouraging as many Republican senators to participate as possible. Lee, for his part, wants to see Thune leave the process open far longer and cancel the April recess if needed to pressure Democrats.
“I don’t think we ought to choose any back-end limit to what we’re willing to do,” Lee said. “Otherwise, they’ll just ride us out.”
Thune has kept Lee involved in the process, meeting with him on Wednesday night to talk through his thinking. Lee’s legislative director also spent most of the day with Thune’s staff to walk through possible amendment votes.
“He and I are connecting,” Lee said. “I think we’re understanding each other.”
Given strong Democratic opposition, the bill is expected to fail on a final vote. Republicans hold 53 seats to Democrats’ 47, and GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are opposed to the measure.
Instead, the debate will serve as a messaging exercise and will involve votes on the various parts of Trump’s bill. That is likely to include its core provisions — national voter ID and proof of citizenship. Leadership is also working through several proposals on mail-in balloting, a process Trump wants largely banned, and the amendments on transgender policies, such as restrictions on surgeries for minors.
Republicans are even weighing a vote on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the subject of a monthlong partial government shutdown, according to two GOP sources. Democrats have repeatedly rejected funding for the entire department without major concessions on the conduct of immigration enforcement officers.
“I can’t guarantee an outcome on this legislation, but I can guarantee that we are going to put Democrats on the record, that they will be forced to defend their outrageous positions on these issues, and explain to the American people why common sense and the Democratic Party have parted ways,” Thune said in a Thursday floor speech.
House conservatives have called the approach “performance theater” and redoubled their attempts to pressure Thune on the floor last week. The lower chamber passed the SAVE America Act in February.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS SPLIT OVER SAVE AMERICA ACT PRESSURE CAMPAIGN
Lee said he is “guardedly” encouraged that Thune has not put an end date on the mock filibuster and still hopes Republicans will change course once the bill is brought to the floor.
On Thune’s overall strategy, Lee was more circumspect: “It’s not what I had hoped for, and still not what I prefer, still not what I hope can happen.”
