Senate Republicans Push for Voter ID Legislation
Senate Minority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is gearing up to challenge Senate Democrats on the issue of voter ID laws. The Protecting American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has garnered backing from 50 Senate Republicans, including Thune, which is enough to surpass a significant procedural hurdle.
However, the likelihood of the bill making it to President Donald Trump’s desk seems slim if traditional Senate procedures are followed. Still, Thune is determined to put pressure on Democrats as the midterm elections draw near. “We’re going to vote,” Thune stated.
As tension mounts, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has expressed fierce opposition to the voter ID initiative, insisting that Democrats will resist it “tooth and nail.” His comments highlight the challenge faced by Republicans in advancing the bill.
During a recent visit to his home state of South Dakota, Thune emphasized his party’s accomplishments as the primary season approaches. He views cultivating a vote on the floor as a strategic move to compel Schumer and his caucus to justify their stance against creating federal voter ID and citizenship requirements for registration.
“We’ll make sure everyone is on the record. If they want to oppose ensuring only Americans vote in elections, they’ll have to defend that during their campaigns against Republicans this fall,” Thune remarked.
While Schumer and most Senate Democrats remain unsupportive of the SAVE America Act—which passed in the House the previous week—Republican options for advancing the bill are limited. The Senate’s current makeup means that unless some Democrats come on board, the bill will likely face a 60-vote filibuster.
Schumer has made it clear that he sees the proposed legislation as a potential voter suppression measure that disproportionately affects underprivileged Americans and minorities. Given this perspective, Senate Republicans are weighing their options, although Thune has dismissed one possibility—eliminating the filibuster—as a viable strategy.
Another option could be physically filibustering the bill, which would entail extended debate. While this could lead to long hours on the Senate floor, Thune notes that it would allow for unrestricted amendments, where each could pass with merely 51 votes due to the absence of specific rules.
However, such a path isn’t without its concerns. Thune acknowledged the potential for extended debate to disrupt Senate operations. He pointed out that difficult amendments may emerge, which could put lawmakers in a challenging spot leading up to re-elections, ultimately jeopardizing the bill’s chances.
While Thune has not ruled out pursuing a filibuster if they can advance the SAVE America Act, the unpredictable nature of politically charged legislation means definitive outcomes are rarely assured. “I think this is clearly a mechanism to try to pursue an outcome, but ultimately I don’t know if it’s going to yield the outcome you want,” he reflected, adding that there could be unintended negative consequences along the way.
