On Monday, Republican senators presented a bill aimed at releasing Russian assets to support Ukraine, yet there were ongoing discussions regarding the lack of the necessary 60 votes to pass the SAVE America Act.
Senators Chuck Grassley and John Cornyn introduced the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABRE) Act, which would enable Ukraine to buy military supplies using funds seized from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. However, many Republican lawmakers expressed doubts about the SAVE America Act’s viability, which mandates Americans to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote and to show identification at polling places.
“I will co-sponsor new legislation to help Ukraine continue to defend against attacks from Putin. Importantly, this assistance is free to taxpayers,” Grassley commented on Tuesday.
The bill has support from senators including Roger Wicker (Mississippi), Chris Coons (Delaware), Tim Kaine (Virginia), and Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island).
In the House, Representative Joe Wilson from South Carolina also introduced the bill.
Grassley’s office did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked that the SAVE Act lacked sufficient support to succeed. Republican Bill Cassidy from Louisiana echoed this sentiment, stating, “It’s time to talk about other things,” when addressing reporters.
“I’m a co-sponsor, but I don’t have a vote, so it’s time to shift focus,” Cassidy added.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah pointed out that Cassidy’s comments could similarly apply to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits government surveillance of U.S. citizens without a warrant.
Thune and Cassidy had previously voted for other measures supporting Ukraine, which included $95 billion in emergency funding. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed assistance for Ukraine and voted against the SAVE America Act’s progress but was absent from the recent vote due to health issues.
Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Thom Tillis (North Carolina) joined McConnell in opposing the inclusion of the provision in the SAVE America Act, which had been signed into law by President Trump on June 10. In a recent social media post, Trump voiced his opposition to the reauthorization of Section 702 without the SAVE America Act attached.
While Collins had shown support for the SAVE America Act earlier this year, she did not favor eliminating the filibuster to facilitate its passage.
Tillis remarked that senators felt they were “wasting time” on the SAVE Act because it lacked future prospects.
The SAVE America Act had passed through the House on April 10 with a 220-208 vote. Despite Trump’s push for Republicans to disregard the filibuster to move the SAVE America Act forward, Thune opposed that course of action.
“If we eliminate the filibuster and Democrats gain a majority, we risk significant consequences like adding Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. as states, expanding the Supreme Court, and pushing through extensive taxation,” Thune highlighted.
On June 5, 18 House Republicans aligned with Democrats to support additional aid to Ukraine from Pentagon resources, despite Speaker Mike Johnson’s urging against the bill. This group included Reps. Mike Lawler from New York, Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, and Glenn Thompson from Ohio.
A public opinion poll conducted on May 7 indicated that 75% of Trump supporters and 52% of Americans overall believe proof of citizenship should be required for voting.
