Republicans are now days into what could be a multi-week slog on the Senate floor, as lawmakers stage a debate over an election overhaul bill — the so-called SAVE America Act — to appease the president and some hardline conservatives.
The only problem is, debating the bill is hardly what President Donald Trump or his most devoted allies want.
Unfortunately for Trump and his hard-right sympathizers, the bill stands no chance of becoming law — at least under current Senate rules. Instead, the fight will mostly just expose fissures in the GOP and chew up valuable Senate floor time.
Still, top Republicans, like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., insist it’s an “important” exercise.
“It is an issue that is at the very core of elections in this country,” he told reporters Tuesday, shortly before the floor debate kicked off. “This is something that the American people care about, something obviously we’ve heard a lot about from constituents.”
But at least one Republican candidly admitted something else is at play.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, argued Thune had no option but to appease certain pockets of the party, including the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
“He’s got pressure from a small group in our conference — and from the president,” she told reporters, before clarifying she should have listed the president “first.”
If made law, the SAVE America Act would mandate that voters provide proof of citizenship when signing up to vote and a photo ID at the polling place. Additionally, the president is demanding that lawmakers amend the bill to add other items, including a near-total ban on mail-in voting for civilians and unrelated measures targeting transgender athletes and children.
The president has warned that, unless Congress passes the bill, he will not sign any other legislation. And hardline conservatives, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, are demanding action.
Due to the 60-vote procedural filibuster in the Senate, however, the GOP will need Democratic votes — and Democrats have expressed no interest in supporting the bill.
Instead, what’s happening is lawmakers are entering into a protracted floor debate — where Lee and his colleagues can make their case for the legislation for an unspecified period of time.
It could last days — Lee suggested he’s willing to go for “weeks.” As Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., put it: “I cannot tell you how this vampire movie is going to end.”
Eventually, votes will be called. Few lawmakers — if any — are expected to change their vote as a result of the debate.
But some Republicans aren’t thrilled to be, in their minds, wasting valuable floor time on a lost cause.
Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., for instance, told reporters Tuesday that while he supports the SAVE America Act, he is concerned all this is doing is giving certain lawmakers — including members of his own party — a chance for “theater” while other issues go unresolved.
“This provides a platform for a lot of people to get up and basically play to their constituents,” he said. “I don’t like that.”
“We very deservingly are having a 14% approval rate,” Justice said of Congress.
And Sen. Thom Tillis, R- N.C., in the days leading up to the start of the debate, told reporters that while he understands the argument that the GOP needs to show the base they are fighting, “I’ve never chosen to get into a fight that I knew I was going to lose.” Still, Lee cast this as far more existential. It would be “a suicidal move” for Republicans, Lee told reporters Wednesday, “if we don’t put everything we’ve got into this.” Those cracks in the GOP coalition, though, extend beyond just the debate over debating. The SAVE America Act push has already sparked a renewed fight over the future of the filibuster, with some arguing it’s time to blow up the Senate rules to force the bill through. Most Republicans aren’t interested in changing the rules, however, warning of the long-term repercussions if Democrats were to return to the Senate majority. (Without the filibuster, the GOP would have no check on Democratic priorities.) There are also internal GOP disagreements over the policy itself, including some of the additional provisions the president is demanding, like further restrictions on mail-in voting — a move that some senators from rural states warn could hurt GOP voters. Murkowski told reporters Tuesday she has concerns about the logistical implications of the SAVE America Act and what it could mean “for an Alaskan who’s just trying to register to vote.” She noted that in her state, “83% of our communities” are “not connected by road.” And Tillis wanted that the president’s push to include “transgender issues” spreads the bill too thin. “If we don’t get tight, then we’re exposing ourselves to more exploitation of the differences that we have in the conference,” he said. “I’d like to beat every single Democrat on the ballot in November,” Tillis added. “When I see things that actually we’re going to have to explain and take more time, that’s when I get a little cranky.”
Kevin Frey is a congressional reporter for MS NOW. Recommended
