Senate to work through weekend debating SAVE America Act

The Senate will debate legislation to prevent non-citizens from voting this weekend, while Republicans continue to consider the best strategy to bring the measure to a final vote.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, did not rush to shut down debate on the SAVE America Act, as he would with most legislation. The process for doing so, filing a cloture motion, requires 60 votes to end debate, meaning Democrats can block the bill from moving forward.

The SAVE America Act requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to vote.

Republicans filed amendments to add other priorities requested by President Trump, including restrictions on mail-in voting and banning transgender surgeries for minors and biological males playing women’s sports.

Mr. Thune said Thursday that he would use the cloture process to put at least one amendment to a vote, but he declined to say which one.

“I will probably show up in the next few days to hold a vote on an amendment, which could happen over the weekend,” he said.

Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah and the main sponsor of the SAVE America Act, urged Mr. Thune not to file a complaint on the bill unless Republicans have ousted enough Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to end debate.

Mr. Lee said he viewed that as a more likely outcome than fully exercising the filibuster to wear down Democrats to the point where Republicans can call a final vote on the bill at a simple majority threshold.

Mr. Thune expressed doubt that either approach would succeed, but he is letting the debate play out for now.

He said the Senate would take a brief break from debate over the SAVE America Act this weekend or early next week to confirm Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Mullin’s nomination was reported out of committee on Thursday.