Overview
- Senators voted 48-50 on Thursday to block an amendment that would have added the SAVE America Act to a roughly $70 billion reconciliation package funding ICE and Border Patrol.
- Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell and Thom Tillis joined all Democrats to defeat the Graham amendment, denying the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster.
- The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and photo ID to cast a ballot, and its Graham version also included limits on transgender athletes.
- President Trump publicly promoted the bill in social posts and statements about California vote counts, while some GOP senators pressed to change filibuster rules and Majority Leader John Thune resisted.
- With the measure stalled, Republicans are shifting to narrower proposals such as REAL ID grant programs and an Election Security Partnership bill that would fund state use of federal verification tools.