THUNE PLAYS HIS ACE ON SAVE ACT — NOW ALL EYES ARE ON SCHUMER
Senate Republican Leader John Thune indicated on Thursday that Republicans are prepared to employ budget reconciliation to advance the SAVE America Act if Democratic opposition blocks the legislation under normal Senate procedures. The measure would establish uniform national standards requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and participation in federal elections.
Speaking to reporters after a Senate Republican luncheon, Thune said there is growing support within the conference for using reconciliation if necessary. “I think that budget reconciliation, as I’ve said before, you have to have a reason to do it. And if we have reasons to do it—and we may, very well may—I think there’s a lot of support for a budget reconciliation bill,” he stated.
Thune noted that Republicans have multiple legislative vehicles available and are willing to consider any option that allows the bill to pass with a simple majority. “We have two legislative vehicles, as you know, available to us, so we could tee one of those up. And that’s an option. And we’ll see—if that’s what it takes to get some of these things across the finish line, and we can do it with simple majorities, we’ll take a hard look at it,” he added.
Under the reconciliation process, legislation that directly affects federal spending or revenue can pass the Senate with 50 votes, with Vice President JD Vance able to cast a tie-breaking vote if needed. The procedure bypasses the 60-vote filibuster threshold that Democrats could otherwise use to block the bill. However, reconciliation is governed by the Byrd Rule, which requires provisions to have a direct budgetary impact; extraneous matters can be stripped during the process.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) expressed strong support for the strategy. “I think we are, Mr. President—I know you are—we need to try to pass this legislation through reconciliation,” Kennedy said. “It means we can pass this bill with 50 Republican votes and the Vice President to break the tie.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that internal discussions are already underway. He noted that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham is actively developing a reconciliation framework that could incorporate elements of the SAVE America Act, potentially including funding for enforcement agencies such as ICE or backfilling from broader spending packages.
Mullin emphasized the broad popularity of the legislation, citing polling that shows approximately 80 percent of Americans support limiting voting to properly registered U.S. citizens. “There’s nothing more important than the SAVE America Act,” he said. “That’s what the American people want. Eighty percent of the population says they want only Americans voting—citizens who are registered to vote, citizens who have done it the right way. And I believe that everybody wants election integrity.”
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The SAVE America Act has become a priority for the Republican majority following the 2024 election, with party leaders arguing it would close loopholes that could allow non-citizens to register or vote in federal elections. Democrats have countered that existing laws already prohibit non-citizen voting and that the measure could create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not yet issued a formal response to Thune’s comments, but Democratic leaders have historically opposed reconciliation for policy measures they view as partisan. If Republicans proceed with the strategy, the bill would need to be carefully drafted to comply with the Byrd Rule while still achieving the core goal of citizenship verification.
