President Donald Trump is urging Congress to use the budget reconciliation process in order to fund the Department of Homeland Security, a move that would allow Republicans to bypass the Senate filibuster.
Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116330487356155648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> post on Wednesday that Republicans &#8220;are going forward&#8221; with a plan to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol that &#8220;doesn’t need Radical Left Democrat votes.&#8221;
&#8220;We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;We will not allow them to hurt the families of these Great Patriots by defunding them. I am asking that the Bill be on my desk NO LATER than June 1st.&#8221;
Budget reconciliation allows certain legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority, avoiding the 60-vote threshold typically required to overcome a filibuster. However, the process comes with strict rules that limit which provisions can be included.
Some Republicans have floated reconciliation as a path forward as negotiations over DHS funding remain stalled. Trump&#8217;s comments could bolster last week&#8217;s Senate-approved proposal, which did not include ICE and Border Patrol funding, as Trump noted how the reconciliation plan would be for those two agencies, <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/2039390619022270576?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a> reported.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) told The Daily Wire that the approach could allow Congress to fund the agency without Democratic votes, though he also reiterated his support for eliminating the filibuster altogether. If the filibuster were scrapped for good, it would open the door for other legislation to go to Trump&#8217;s desk, such as the House-passed SAVE America Act.
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t appear today we have the votes to get rid of the filibuster, but a year ago, we didn’t have the votes to change the rules on nominations,” Scott said, saying that he thinks Republicans are “gonna get there.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) floated the possibility of a “skinny reconciliation” proposal that could “move very quickly” in a Wednesday interview on <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/04/01/rep-tom-emmer-on-the-dhs-shutdown-tsa-staffing-shortages-and-iran-war-latest.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNBC,</a> while Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) indicated a three-year funding bill for DHS could be in the works as well, according to <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2038634941756359075?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and other Republicans have cautioned against eliminating the filibuster, warning it could open the door for Democrats to pass their agenda with a simple majority vote in the future.
“What&#8217;s happening on ICE and CBP is just showing you how radical the Left is, and these Democrat senators, they&#8217;re controlled by AOC and [New York City Mayor Zohran] Mamdani, and Chuck Schumer&#8217;s scared to death of them,” Sen. Scott said. “And so they&#8217;re playing to their far left base that hates this country. They don&#8217;t want Trump to have any success.”
The push comes as Congress remains divided over how to fund DHS. Last week, the Senate approved a measure that did not fully fund ICE and Border Patrol, while the House passed a 60-day funding bill extending DHS funding until May 22.
President Trump has also called for ending the filibuster, encouraging Thune to find the votes necessary to scrap the threshold, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-senator-asks-president-trump-to-force-congresss-hand-on-dhs-shutdown?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Calls+Grow+To+Force+Congress+Back+As+DHS+Shutdown+Hinges+On+One+Move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported Monday.

President Trump Delivers The State Of The Union Address

Trump Blesses GOP Plan To End Shutdown — Without Democrats

Congress

homeland security

John Thune

Rick Scott

Senate

<div>
President Donald Trump voiced his opposition to the bipartisan Senate deal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-erupts-as-house-poised-to-reject-senate-deal-to-end-dhs-shutdown?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Congress+Erupts+As+House+Poised+To+Reject+Senate+Deal+To+End+DHS+Shutdown">passed</a> early Friday morning to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Trump told <a href="https://x.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/2037615753868833269?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> on Friday afternoon that “it wasn&#8217;t good. It wasn&#8217;t appropriate,” specifically mentioning how the proposal does not fund ICE and Border Patrol as part of the agreement.
“You can&#8217;t have a bill that&#8217;s not going to fund any form of law enforcement &#8230; This whole thing is about the Democrats wanting to have open borders, no ICE, no border patrol. These people are crazy,” he said, according to the outlet.
The president has repeatedly called for an end to the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster rule to move legislation forward, including DHS appropriations and the SAVE America Act, which is a voter identification bill.
Trump’s comments come after Speaker Mike Johnson and many other House Republicans trashed the Senate proposal and the subsequent departure of senators for a two-week recess for Easter.
Johnson will instead push for a continuing resolution until May 22, which would temporarily fund all of DHS while a longer-term solution for the remainder of the fiscal year is negotiated.
“They’ve gone half the fiscal year without a regular paycheck; we cannot ask that of anyone,” Johnson said in reference to TSA officers, who have dealt with the brunt of both the full federal government shutdown last fall and the current shutdown.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-executive-order-to-pay-tsa-agents?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Signs+Executive+Order+To+Pay+TSA+Agents">signed</a> an order on Friday to pay TSA agents, as travelers have faced long wait times at airports nationwide due to officer callouts and resignations.
“Republicans will do the responsible and honorable thing, and Democrats will continue to play politics,” Johnson told reporters on Friday.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already called the possibility of a continuing resolution “dead on arrival.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said his caucus plans to back the bipartisan Senate proposal, saying Republicans have sought to &#8220;create chaos&#8221; at airports nationwide.
</div>
&#8220;House Democrats are prepared to support the bill to end the Trump-Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security,&#8221; Jeffries said at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
<div>
If the House of Representatives passes anything other than the Senate deal without additional amendments, it would have to return to the Senate before it could go to the president&#8217;s desk for his signature or veto.
</div>

Donald Trump

Trump Kills Senate Bill To Re-Open DHS Without ICE Funding

Immigration

Mike Johnson

You want to know why we are having all this trouble with the TSA?
One word: Democrats.
The standoff over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA, continues. People are waiting for hours at airports because of it. 
According to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5760981/tsa-wait-times-lines">NPR</a>:
<blockquote>The Transportation Security Administration is experiencing the longest wait times ever in its 24-year history because of the ongoing partial shutdown, the agency&#8217;s deputy administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, told the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday.
Wait times at some major airports have exceeded four hours, and employees at those airports are calling out of work at rates of 40% to 50%, McNeill told members of the committee. If this partial government shutdown continues into Friday, TSA will have missed almost $1 billion in paychecks since it began, McNeill said. …</blockquote>
McNeill thanked Trump for sending ICE agents to some major airports, &#8220;enabling TSA officers to focus on carrying out critical security screening duties during this challenging time for our agency.”
TSA may have to close smaller airports due to understaffing, she said, and she worried the agency will continue to lose officers to more steady jobs and fail to attract new talent.
This is crazy town. It&#8217;s insanity.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2397-sub?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
It&#8217;s happening because Democrats have decided that posturing over ICE is more important than basic safety standards and citizen protections all over the United States. 
Senate majority leader John Thune is not wrong when he says that Democrats seem to believe that the current shutdown is good for their left-wing base. For them, it&#8217;s all about politics, and it always has been.
In last fall’s shutdown by the Democrats, the whole government was shut down for 46 days. Remember Chuck Schumer saying, “Every day gets better for us”? Now you have Hawaii senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Democrat leadership in this shutdown, saying. “We are very serene.”
It’s all playing politics and has been from the beginning. They think this is really good with their base. Their left-wing base won&#8217;t take yes for an answer, and so the Democrats won’t either. But they&#8217;re going to have to, because at some point, people will realize that it is the Democrats who are blockading and have been blockading funding to the Department of Homeland Security.
This is very simple. The Democrats are shutting down the Department of Homeland Security. Everyone knows this. All they have to do is pass a clean funding bill for DHS.
Instead, Democrats seem to think they can insult their way to political victory.
Jimmy Kimmel randomly insulted the new DHS secretary, Markwayne Mullin, for the great crime of being a plumber, which is a weird take from Jimmy Kimmel, who was a shock-jock radio sports guy.
I was informed that it&#8217;s good that AOC was a bartender, but it&#8217;s bad that a senator who is now running DHS was a plumber?
Why?
Democrats are going even harder than that.
Brandon Johnson, the ridiculous mayor of Chicago, debuted his own snowplow truck festooned with a banner stating “Abolish ICE,” because he&#8217;s abolishing genuine ice, but he also wants to abolish ICE. 
Genius-level politicking.
Rep. Thomas Suozzi is arguing for full-scale legalization of illegal immigrants.
Democrats seem to believe that illegal immigrants roaming free is more important than you being able to get to your plane on time.
How pathetic is the Left on these issues?
The Loyola University of Chicago student newspaper —the campus newspaper of murdered student Sheridan Gorman — issued a formal apology for calling her murderer an illegal immigrant.
I&#8217;m not kidding. She was murdered, and the student newspaper stated, “In the body of the original post, we describe the man who was charged as an illegal immigrant using language provided by the Department of Homeland Security. That language does not align with the Associated Press style, nor does it align with the values of this newspaper. No human&#8217;s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that. We acknowledge the harm such language can cause, and the power and importance of the words we choose to use.” 
Ridiculous.
No one says that a human&#8217;s existence is illegal. But the term is not illegal human. The term is illegal immigrant.
They are more concerned about the terminology used to address illegal immigration than they are about the fact that an illegal immigrant allegedly murdered one of their students.
The Democrats aren&#8217;t just defending illegal immigration. They&#8217;re defending crime wholesale.
A couple of years ago, we visited the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, which was basically an open-air fentanyl market, one of the most horrifying things I&#8217;ve ever seen in person.
Now, the Philadelphia D.A. Larry Krasner is threatening to prosecute IRS agents.
This is how crazy Democrats are. They believe that ICE agents ought to be prosecuted, but illegal immigrants ought not, and you should wait in line at the airport because of this.
The open lawbreaking in Philadelphia and the open anti-Americanism are astonishing. Pro-Iran, pro-Hamas, pro-terrorist protesters in Philadelphia even openly celebrated the killing of American troops.
For many of these folks, the lawbreaking is the point. The anti-Americanism is the point.
It makes you wonder on a broader level: Why do so many people in the Democratic Party seem so sanguine about a wide-open border, about importing people that we can&#8217;t vet, about allowing the taxpayer to pay for all these bills?
The answer is that a lot of the people in the Democratic Party are totally fine with anti-Americanism. They like anti-Americanism.
Ilhan Omar, another immigrant we never should have admitted to the United States, showed her wild hatred for America and our allies, ranting:
<blockquote>I&#8217;ve lived through war. I know it is not a game. It is never a one-time cost. It cannot be reduced to a soundbite by politicians who have no regard for the cost of human life when it comes to warfare. War is not paid for a dollar alone. It is paid in the lives of young Americans who we sent to fight this war.</blockquote>
Her pretending that she gives a damn about American soldiers is really galling. This is a woman who wrote a letter of support to a judge for a person who tried to join ISIS. This is a woman who said “something happened to some people” regarding 9/11.
Ilhan Omar has yet to find a terrorist group she cannot find some sort of excuse for.
All of this, of course, is part and parcel of a third-world strategy to undermine the United States. It suggests that people suffering in the Third World are the fault of the United States, and thus the United States must pay.
And all of this falls under the rubric of the Democratic Party not giving a damn about Americans.

Senate GOP Rejects Democrats’ Latest Bid To End DHS Shutdown

You’re In An Endless TSA Line Because Of Democrats

Ben Shapiro

Chuck Schumer

Democrats

Jimmy Kimmel

Opinion

Welcome to this week’s episode of “What is John Thune Doin’?” This is the show where we try to answer the questions, “Who is John Thune?” and “What is he doin’?”
To answer the first question first: John Thune, a Republican Senator, is the Senate Majority Leader. Now, those of you who aren’t familiar with how our government works may want to know: What does the American Senate do exactly? And the answer is: the American Senate does exactly nothing.
And you may say: “Well, if John Thune is the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate does nothing, then what is John Thune … doin’?”
Good question. That’s why we’re here.
To get to the bottom of this, our reporters met with John Thune for an hour-long interview. Unfortunately, shortly after the interview ended, they realized they hadn’t actually been talking to John Thune, but had instead interviewed the statue of Senator John Clayton in the Capitol Rotunda. In their defense, the statue just stands around all day, so it was an easy mistake to make.
Undeterred, our reporters proceeded to go to John Thune’s office, but accidentally ended up in a dark broom closet. There, they began to interview a mop, until they realized that couldn’t be John Thune, because a mop is actually good for something. Like, if your kid spills his juice on the floor, you can clean it up with a mop. Which is actually pretty useful. So definitely not John Thune.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1270-when-will-it-ever-end?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974735 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
But here at the Daily Wire, we don’t stop searching just because we can’t find the answers. In fact, we don’t even stop talking when we can’t find the answers. In spite of all our setbacks, we were determined to learn: What is John Thune doin’?
To help us in our search, we developed this handy Q and A.
Q: What is John Thune doin’? 
A: Well, that’s what we’re trying to find out.
Q: But hasn’t President Trump asked John Thune to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires voters to have a picture ID?
A: Yes, he has. 
Q: And doesn’t the SAVE America Act have the support of, like, a million percent of Americans?
A: Give or take a few percentage points, yes, it does.
Q: So… What is John Thune doin’?
A: You keep asking me that. Look, to be fair, there are some controversial parts of the SAVE Act. For instance, it bans transgender surgery on minors. This is a very divisive issue because, while 100% of Americans understand that sexually mutilating children is a Nazi-level atrocity, as many as 37% believe that pretending it’s okay makes them seem nice. Likewise, while 71% of Democrat voters support requiring voter ID, 98% of Democrat politicians oppose it, because, as Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer has said, “The Democrat party is a criminal organization in which all the criminals are obviously crazy, so if we can’t cheat at the polls, we’ll never win another election.”
Q: Wait. Chuck Schumer actually said that?
A: Maybe that was a dream I had. I’m not sure.
Q: So if the SAVE Act is so popular, why can’t John Thune get it passed?
A: Because under the filibuster rule, he needs 60 votes, and the Democrats won’t budge because of what Chuck Schumer said in my dream.
Q: So why doesn’t John Thune get rid of the filibuster?
A: Ah, because without the filibuster, when the Democrats win back power, they’ll pack the Supreme Court and steal elections by making Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico into states.
Q: What will the Democrats do if they win back power with the filibuster in place?
A: Then they’ll get rid of the filibuster, pack the Supreme Court, and steal elections by making Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico into states.
Q: So… what is John Thune even doin’?
A: All right, this Q and A isn’t getting us anywhere. To get at the essential nature of John Thune, we’re just going to have to interview another statue. Really, any random piece of marble will do. Or just a rock lying around somewhere. Even an empty space. Personally, I’d be happy to interview an empty space, if only I could find John Thune.
* * *
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-That-Cameron-Winter-Mysteries/dp/1613166869/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGZUC370LG46&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y_NI0mDOKeowShheDQTVx5NH-fAeimJoCD56_T0Acpl8C0mup7uJf-nGGSRLEItaaekoDnvS2vWLMa4Zd2UBXQ8Y-g-P502jOWz-Y8IX3ZQsdlO7WMLrg1xIhNoKmjCorSWUR4C2l_RbiZ7apJ1MfPzGOrrEf7AdAXX6xwnJRVP_XqUfWuMuVthTWscaU3P4vgmS86-96n-721enHfX12CFQWTajqFbVnrsDkexfUf4.6_gTH6h1Bb9Pn375QdF_VAVZSayDvjQBBKGXE-MTiFo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=klavan&amp;qid=1754049918&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C80&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After That, The Dark,</a> is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>.
The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

John Thune 3/03/26

Does Anyone Know What John Thune Actually Does?

Andrew Klavan

Humor

Satire

SAVE America Act

U.S. Capitol

U.S. Senate

A hot debate has now broken out in the Republican Party over the so-called SAVE Act.
Republicans support the SAVE Act, which would force voter ID nationally. Democrats in the Senate have been holding it up.
President Trump correctly <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-addresses-house-republicans-at-annual-retreat/674954">points out </a>that the SAVE Act is quite popular with Americans.
“Even the Democrats — you saw the numbers today?— Democrats voted 86% that this stuff should be passed,” he noted. “With the Republicans, you&#8217;re at 98%. But Democrats are at 86%, except for the people that run the Democrat Party, because they want to try and win elections illegally. The only reason you vote against voter I.D. is because you want to cheat. There&#8217;s no other reason. They come up with reasons; they say it&#8217;s racist. That&#8217;s their number one: racist. Then they have to explain it, and they&#8217;re just sitting there mumbling. They can&#8217;t explain it.”
President Trump has also been having fun <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-addresses-house-republicans-at-annual-retreat/674954">mocking</a> Chuck Schumer: “It&#8217;s the easiest thing we have. Now the problem is you call it the SAVE Act, and nobody knew what the hell the SAVE Act was. &#8230; It&#8217;s called ‘The Save America Act’. And I saw Schumer yesterday: ‘We will stop Save America.’ He’s getting killed. They can&#8217;t do it.”
President Trump says that Republicans should <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-addresses-house-republicans-at-annual-retreat/674954">not approve anything</a> until the SAVE Act passes:
“But they have to get it done. Because if we don&#8217;t get this done, if it takes six months, I&#8217;m for not approving anything. I don&#8217;t think we should approve anything until this is approved. And they can&#8217;t win politically. Look, you have them in a corner, and they&#8217;re listening to every word I&#8217;m saying. It doesn&#8217;t matter because they can&#8217;t win it politically. Because when they say, ‘We don&#8217;t want voter identification. We don&#8217;t want proof of citizenship,” all these things are just losers for them.”
Chuck Schumer, for his part, keeps arguing that if we clean the voter rolls of people who have moved or are dead and require people to use voter ID, somehow this is going to result in mass voter disenfranchisement, a proposition that pretty much no one actually agrees with. 
“It allows ICE to kick tens of millions of people off the rolls, off the rolls, and they don&#8217;t tell them until Election Day,” he <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/senate-democratic-agenda/675075">huffed</a>. “And you show them, you say. ‘You&#8217;re not registered anymore, you&#8217;re not registered here, you&#8217;re not on the rolls.’ And they say, ‘I didn&#8217;t know that.’ This is a bill that destroys the country. And it is not about showing ID when you show up to vote. It&#8217;s about the voter registration rolls, destroying them, purging them, not letting people know, and taking the rights in an algorithm put together by ICE, put together by DOGE and Musk. It&#8217;s an outrage.” 
If you just say DOGE or Musk three times in a row, Beetlejuice appears, according to Chuck Schumer.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2385-iranian-propaganda-syndrome?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
This is silly. If you can&#8217;t abide by the law with regard to voting, you shouldn&#8217;t vote. And if you moved and you didn&#8217;t tell them you moved, then you probably should tell them you moved. Democrats trying to turn basic adult functions into some sort of Mensa test are lying. It’s not that hard to register to vote. It&#8217;s not hard to determine where and how to vote. People have been figuring it out for decades.
But now, because Democrats are trying to filibuster the SAVE Act in the Senate, to prevent it from passing by forcing Republicans to find 60 votes in the Senate, President Trump is talking about killing the filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, by contrast, says, no, we&#8217;re not doing that.
“We don&#8217;t have the votes either to proceed, get on a talking filibuster, nor to sustain one if we got on it,” he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-EQvN-hLoz0">stated</a>. “But that is just a function of math. &#8230; I understand the president&#8217;s got a passion to see this issue addressed, as we all do. We’ll continue to make that argument because I think it&#8217;s important that everybody understands this is really about the votes. It&#8217;s about the math.”
A lot of people are asking, why doesn&#8217;t Thune kill the filibuster? The answer is simple. He&#8217;s concerned if Republicans kill the filibuster, the next time the Democrats have a majority in the House and the Senate and run the presidency, they simply run roughshod over Republicans and essentially end any chance of possible parity in future elections, all with just 51 votes. They add new states, they add new senators, and they change the voting rules and all the rest.
There have been two arguments that have been put out there to counter John Thune’s argument. First, there&#8217;s the argument that Republicans should end what&#8217;s known as the “talking filibuster.” When most people think about the filibuster, they think of Jimmy Stewart talking for hours until he faints in the film “Mr. Smith goes to Washington.”
It takes 60 votes to ensure “cloture,” which means to stop a talking filibuster. Under Senate Rule 19, each senator can speak twice per day. Members of the same party can hold the floor continuously. Theoretically, Johnson could force Democrats to do that, get up there and just talk and talk and talk and talk.
In the past, however, opposing parties have allowed the so-called “silent filibuster,” a filibuster that all agree would be possible in the absence of talking for days at a time. People basically say, “You don&#8217;t have 60 votes. Instead of making us talk for weeks on end, we are not going to do that. You don’t have 60 votes to kill it anyway.”
So why doesn&#8217;t John Thune kill the silent filibuster? There are a few practical reasons. First, if 47 Democrats each gave six-hour speeches and did that continuously in a cycle, they could stop the business of the Senate for months. The only way to keep the Senate in session, in order to keep the pressure on Democrats to keep talking, would be for Republicans to maintain a quorum, meaning 51 senators nearby. If they didn&#8217;t have a quorum, if somebody goes home and suddenly there are 49 senators, Democrats can move to adjourn the session, the clock restarts, and all the senators can speak twice again. Which means that killing the silent filibuster basically ensures pain, but not gain.
That&#8217;s not going to stop critics from attacking Senator Thune and other Republicans as somehow feeble or insufficient in their defense of conservative policy. That&#8217;s always the rap from people in my industry toward politicians: “The reason that Republicans don&#8217;t do enough is a lack of will. If only they had more Nietzschean willpower! Or maybe they&#8217;re corrupt?” 
 
But that&#8217;s not what&#8217;s happening. The simple case here is that in the Senate, which happens to be a more collegial body than the House, Republicans must always have one eye on the question of what happens when the political shoe is on the other foot.
Just as Democrats killed the judicial filibuster only to watch Republicans stack the Supreme Court, Republicans have to be careful not to kill the filibuster on other issues, just to watch Democrats ram through fundamental changes to the nature of American life and law.
Democrats are obstructing, there&#8217;s no question about it.
They aren’t interested in honest voting.

SchumerSAVE

The SAVE Act Standoff

House of Representatives

Iran

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) must &#8220;be a leader&#8221; and take the SAVE American Act across the finish line as Senate Republicans face continued pressure from voters and the White House to pass the voter ID legislation before the midterm elections.
Asked about Thune on Wednesday, Trump made it clear that the SAVE America Act remains the single most important task for the GOP-controlled Senate.
&#8220;He&#8217;s gotta be a leader,&#8221; Trump said of Thune. &#8220;He&#8217;s a leader, he&#8217;s gotta get [the votes].&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s the most popular bill put before Congress,&#8221; he added.
This week, Thune has poured cold water on a Trump-backed proposal to revert to the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act. The talking filibuster would force Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act to speak nonstop on the Senate floor if they want to block a vote, but according to Thune, a group of Republicans is not on board with changing Senate rules to meet Trump&#8217;s demand.
&#8220;The votes aren’t there, one, to nuke the filibuster, and the votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,&#8221; Thune told reporters on Tuesday. &#8220;It’s just a reality. I’m the person who has to deliver sometimes the not-so-good news that the math doesn’t add up, but those are the facts, and there’s no getting around it.&#8221;
A <a href="https://x.com/MarkMeadows/status/2031779224470897145">list</a> put together by former White House Chief of Staff and North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows shows that Senate Republicans are split down the middle on support for the talking filibuster. Senators who have signaled support for using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act include, Jim Banks (IN), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ted Budd (NC), Katie Britt (AL), Bill Cassidy (LA), John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), Joni Ernst (IA), Bill Hagerty (TN), Josh Hawley (MO), Ron Johnson (WI), Mike Lee (UT), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Roger Marshall (KS), Dave McCormick (PA), Ashley Moody (FL), Bernie Moreno (OH), Markwayne Mullin (OK), Rand Paul (KY), Jim Risch (ID), Eric Schmitt (MO), Rick Scott (FL), Tim Scott (SC), Tim Sheehy (MT), Dan Sullivan (AK), and Tommy Tuberville (AL).
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is the only Republican senator who has publicly opposed the SAVE America Act, and Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) has publicly voiced his opposition to using the talking filibuster. The remaining Republican senators have not said where exactly they stand on the talking filibuster.
Republicans who are wary of using the talking filibuster argue that it would allow Democrats to control the Senate floor and propose an unlimited number of amendments that could be tacked onto the SAVE America Act.
&#8220;I understand everybody feels— they&#8217;re really invested in this, but this particular approach, in terms of the process, is much more complicated and risky than people are assuming at the moment, which is why that the Democrats looked at doing it both under [Chuck] Schumer and [Harry] Reid when they were in the majority, and opted against it,&#8221; Thune told reporters earlier this week.
The SAVE America Act also contains provisions to keep men from competing in women&#8217;s sports and to protect children from gender procedures, key issues for Trump and Republicans.
&#8220;It&#8217;s the most popular bill I think I&#8217;ve ever put before Congress,&#8221; Trump reiterated.
Recent polls show that the vast majority of Americans support voter ID requirements similar to those put forward in the SAVE America Act. While 50 Republican senators have come out in support of the bill, Republicans would need to reach 60 votes to get past the filibuster and move the legislation to a vote. Democrats have remained united in their opposition to the SAVE America Act, effectively tanking the bill&#8217;s chances.
Many Republicans, however, believe they would have a chance to pass the bill if they instituted the talking filibuster, which could wear down Democrats who oppose the Trump-backed legislation. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) told The Daily Wire on Tuesday, &#8220;Voters across the nation are demanding the SAVE America Act. If we need a few more Senators to get on board to beat a Democrat standing filibuster, that’s not a reason to give up — it’s a reason to push even harder.&#8221;
&#8220;If Republicans don’t fight hard to deliver this wildly popular legislation that President Trump has specifically requested, how can we ask Americans to entrust us with both chambers of Congress in the future?&#8221; Lee added.

Donald Trump/John Thune

‘Be A Leader’: Trump Challenges John Thune As Save America Act Faces Uncertainty

2026 Midterms

Election

Voting

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on Tuesday that there is not enough support for the talking filibuster pushed by President Donald Trump and some Republican senators, placing the SAVE America Act&#8217;s Senate chances further in doubt.
The talking filibuster, first suggested by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, would potentially clear a path for the GOP-controlled Senate to pass the legislation by forcing Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act to speak non-stop on the Senate floor if they want to block a vote. Thune said the Republican-controlled Senate, however, doesn&#8217;t have enough support from his party to use the talking filibuster.
“The votes aren’t there, one, to nuke the filibuster, and the votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,&#8221; Thune <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5776860-thune-blocks-talking-filibuster/">told</a> reporters. &#8220;It’s just a reality. I’m the person who has to deliver sometimes the not-so-good news that the math doesn’t add up, but those are the facts and there’s no getting around it.”
Trump has ramped up the pressure on Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act before the 2026 midterms, arguing that a law imposing strict voter ID requirements is vital for Republicans to perform well in the upcoming elections. The legislation would require voters to provide proof of citizenship before registration and would prohibit states from sending mail-in ballots to voters, with the only exceptions being illness, disability, military service, or travel.
Sen. Lee, who sponsored the legislation, told The Daily Wire that Senate Republicans need &#8220;to push even harder&#8221; to get the SAVE America Act across the finish line.
&#8220;Voters across the nation are demanding the SAVE America Act. If we need a few more Senators to get on board to beat a Democrat standing filibuster, that’s not a reason to give up — it’s a reason to push even harder,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If Republicans don’t fight hard to deliver this wildly popular legislation that President Trump has specifically requested, how can we ask Americans to entrust us with both chambers of Congress in the future?&#8221;
Recent polling has shown that despite harsh Democratic opposition to the SAVE America Act, a majority of Americans support strict voter ID requirements.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the SAVE America Act &#8220;one of the most critical pieces of legislation in our nation&#8217;s history.&#8221;
&#8220;Passing the SAVE America Act is the most important thing that Republicans and frankly, Democrats, can do to strengthen election integrity and protect democracy,&#8221; Leavitt added. &#8220;It&#8217;s what the American people elected Republicans to do, and they must deliver on it as soon as possible.&#8221;
The press secretary also slammed Democrats for promoting the &#8220;myth&#8221; that the legislation would make it more difficult for women to vote.
&#8220;As far as married women who have changed their name, if they&#8217;re already registered to vote, they&#8217;re entirely unaffected by the SAVE Act, and for the some fraction of individuals who have changed their name or their address, they can still register to vote, of course. They just have to go through their state processes to update that documentation,&#8221; Leavitt continued.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">said</a> on Sunday that he would not sign any other legislation until the SAVE America Act is sent to his desk. The White House kept the pressure up on Tuesday, urging Americans to &#8220;DEMAND&#8221; that their senators get on board with the Save America Act.
&#8220;We either fix the integrity of America&#8217;s elections, or we won&#8217;t have a country left to fight for,&#8221; the White House <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2031396991238869117">posted</a> on X. The post also included a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/">link</a> to a White House webpage that provided contact information for each U.S. senator&#8217;s office.
Thune <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-paid-influencer-ecosystem-it-just-entered-the-election-integrity-fight?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+%E2%80%98Paid+Influencer+Ecosystem%E2%80%99%3F+It+Just+Entered+The+Election+Integrity+Fight">said</a> on Monday that much of the pressure campaign on the SAVE America Act is coming from conservative activists on X, which he called a &#8220;paid influencer ecosystem,&#8221; not from within the Senate itself.
&#8220;We want to get to the SAVE Act,&#8221; Thune added, but he warned that a talking filibuster would make other priorities much &#8220;harder&#8221; to address.
The Senate effectively ended the talking filibuster in the 1970s and moved to the silent filibuster, which has allowed the opposition to stall votes only by stating their intent to filibuster, and thereby require 60 votes to invoke cloture. Trump, who also pushed for the Senate to abolish the filibuster, has suggested that he would take executive action to impose voter ID and citizenship requirements if Congress doesn&#8217;t pass the SAVE America Act.

One Senator’s Final Plea To Save The SAVE America Act

Mike Lee

Politics

Senate Republican leaders are signaling that the path forward for the SAVE act demanded by President Donald Trump could be far more complicated than some conservatives expect.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) suggested much of the current pressure campaign surrounding the legislation is being driven online rather than inside the Senate itself.
“A lot of that is, it&#8217;s in that kind of, you know, paid influencer ecosystem,” Thune <a href="https://x.com/brennanleach/status/2031083867503743376">said</a>, referring to growing calls from some conservative activists to force action on the bill.
The SAVE act would impose new nationwide election integrity requirements, including proof-of-citizenship documentation to register to vote and voter identification requirements for ballots cast both in person and by mail.
The House has already passed the bill, and Trump has recently increased pressure on Senate Republicans to move it forward, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">declaring</a> he would refuse to sign legislation that does not include the SAVE Act.
But Thune indicated that even many Republicans remain uncertain about how the Senate could realistically pass the measure. There&#8217;s support among GOP senators, he said, but “the process and how do you ultimately try and get a result is still unclear to me.”
Some conservatives have floated forcing the legislation through the use of a talking filibuster strategy designed to pressure Senate Democrats and move the bill forward with a simple majority. Thune, however, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/top-senate-republicans-skeptical-talking-filibuster-save-america-act-rcna260834">warned</a> that the tactic would be difficult to execute. “The talking filibuster issue is one on which there is not, certainly, a unified Republican conference, and there would have to be,” he said after a Senate GOP meeting.
Under that approach, Republicans would likely face a barrage of amendments and procedural votes, requiring near-perfect unity within the conference. “If you go down that path, you’re talking about the need to table what are going to be numerous amendments and an ability to keep 50 Republicans unified, pretty much on every single vote,” Thune said. “And there’s just not, there isn’t support for doing that at this point.”
The procedural uncertainty comes as Republicans juggle several other legislative priorities, including funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and pursuing a housing-related bill.
“We want to get to the SAVE Act,” Thune told reporters, but cautioned that tackling other priorities becomes “harder to do once you’re in the throes of a talking filibuster.”
The debate is unfolding alongside an increasingly public dispute within the GOP over who is responsible for the bill’s slow movement. In the last few weeks, as voters become acutely aware of the stall, several House Republicans and Trump himself have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fellow-republicans-take-shots-at-mitch-mcconnell-over-save-act-stall">publicly criticized</a> Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), accusing the longtime senator of blocking the legislation. Lawmakers including Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Tim Burchett (R-TN) have openly questioned McConnell’s motives, while Trump mocked the Kentucky Republican online over the stalled bill.
McConnell’s office has pushed back on those claims, arguing that the senator does not control whether the measure receives a vote. A spokesperson said McConnell “has not, at any point in time, prevented a floor vote on any version of the SAVE Act,” noting that the latest House-passed version of the legislation is awaiting Senate floor consideration.
The dynamic has placed McConnell at the center of conservative frustration over the issue even as Senate leadership emphasizes the procedural challenges involved. For now, Thune’s most recent comments suggest that while Republican leaders say they want to advance the bill, the strategy for actually doing so remains unsettled.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD)

The ‘Paid Influencer Ecosystem’? It Just Entered The Election Integrity Fight

Elections

Voting Bill

Senators Speak To The Press Following Policy Luncheons On Capitol Hill

Why Are Republican Senators Sabotaging Trump?

Filibuster

Jasmine Crockett

Matt Walsh

Republicans

Texas

Thom Tillis

A growing rift inside the Republican Party burst into public view this week as President Donald Trump and several House Republicans openly blasted Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) over the stalled SAVE America Act, accusing the longtime Kentucky lawmaker of standing in the way of legislation they argue is critical to securing federal elections.
What might once have played out behind closed doors is now unfolding in plain sight — with Trump mocking McConnell online and GOP lawmakers questioning both his motives and his leadership as the bill sits idle in the Senate.
One of the most pointed comments came from Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), who on SiriusXM blasted McConnell directly, saying “he hates Donald Trump” and argued the Kentucky senator “should be in a nursing home” rather than blocking the bill. Norman said McConnell is “beholden to the special interests” and insisted the GOP needs new leadership and term limits.
Norman’s remarks were shared on <a href="https://x.com/WilkowMajority/status/2027161540432969925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2027161540432969925%7Ctwgr%5E3383e92a7556d2a8fb97a3079c218e9523329448%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Famericanwirenews.com%2Fhouse-republican-blasts-mcconnell-over-save-act-he-should-be-in-a-nursing-home%2F">X</a>, calling out McConnell by name and questioning his effectiveness in the Senate, a rare and unusually blunt rebuke from a Republican colleague.
That sentiment reflects wider frustration among Trump-aligned Republicans over the SAVE Act’s slow progress in the chamber. While President Donald Trump used his 2026 State of the Union to call for Senate passage of the bill — urging lawmakers to “approve the SAVE America Act” as part of his agenda to require voter ID and proof of citizenship — the Senate has yet to bring it up for a vote.
Trump escalated the pressure on social media, <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2028109709824139442">posting</a> a clip from &#8220;Weekend at Bernie’s&#8221; and captioning it: “Mitch McConnell arriving to block the SAVE Act in a last-ditch attempt to save his name.” The jab underscored growing frustration among conservatives who see the bill as a must-pass election integrity measure with overwhelming grassroots support.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) suggested McConnell’s opposition may be personal, saying on <a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/2024875245966958916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2024875245966958916%7Ctwgr%5E77f261b58e40fcfc14a750af0055b2b809e4fae9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewrepublic.com%2Fpost%2F206864%2Fmcconnell-trump-election-overhaul-bill-save-america-act">X</a> he believes it is “partially just out of meanness,” adding that “he doesn’t like Trump.” Burchett went further, questioning who is truly making decisions in McConnell’s office: “Is it him or a staff member? Because, as you know, he’s a lot like Joe Biden in his last days in office.”
Other Republicans have pressed Senate leadership to move the bill forward, arguing that requiring proof of citizenship is common sense and widely supported by voters. Trump has repeatedly urged the Senate to act, framing the measure as essential to election security.
Representative Andy Barr (R-KY), who will be running for McConnell’s seat after he retires, sent the senator a <a href="https://barr.house.gov/2026/2/barr-backs-voter-id-mandate-calls-on-mcconnell-to-advance-save-america-act">letter</a> last month. The letter strongly urged McConnell, “as Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, to expeditiously move the America Act through the Senate and to the President’s Desk.” He added, “This marks the second time that the U.S. House of Representatives has acted to advance common sense voter identification and proof of citizenship requirements to strengthen the integrity of our federal elections.”
For his part, McConnell and his team have not claimed responsibility for the stall. A spokesperson for the Kentucky senator <a href="https://www.kentucky.com/news/article314828972.html">wrote</a> in a statement, “Senator McConnell has not, at any point in time, prevented a floor vote on any version of the SAVE Act. The most recent version of the bill that passed the House was not referred to any committees and is currently awaiting Senate floor consideration. Senator McConnell has no role in or power to control floor consideration of this bill.”
McConnell has not publicly embraced the legislation and has resisted procedural efforts to fast-track it, fueling criticism from within his own party as tensions between Trump-aligned Republicans and the Senate’s Republican leadership once again spill into public view.
Senate Republican leadership has tried to take the scrutiny from McConnell. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), in a statement to the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/4473765/senate-gop-warns-house-save-act-agitators-do-not-tell-us-what-to-do/">Washington Examiner</a>, said, “House members are going to say what they’re going to say. They aren’t going to tell us how we’re going to run the Senate.” Another Senate leader said the Senate was “going to do what we’re going to do,” regardless of outside commentary.
Thune also <a href="https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/2/thune-joins-america-s-newsroom-on-fox-news">addressed</a> the SAVE America Act directly in an interview with Fox, saying the chamber plans to put Democrats “on the record,” but is focused first on broader issues like reopening the government, and that a floor vote will come “in due time.”
With McConnell nearing retirement and allies jockeying to replace him, the fight carries added political weight, especially in Kentucky. As House Republicans and Trump continue to escalate public pressure, Senate leadership insists the chamber will move on its own timetable. But for many in the GOP base, the optics are clear: a bill framed as “common sense” election security is stalled, and McConnell’s critics are making sure voters know exactly who they believe is responsible.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)

Trump, Fellow Republicans Take Shots At Mitch McConnell Over SAVE Act Stall

Mitch McConnell

Polling firm Cygnal released a new survey on Wednesday showing broad support for voter identification requirements, including a majority backing among black, Hispanic, and white voters. The poll found that 72% of white voters, 69% of Hispanic voters, and 56% of black voters support requiring identification at the polls.  
“Hakeem Jeffries seems to think voter ID is voter suppression, but when you actually ask voters, 70% of American voters overall, 75% of swing voters, 69% of hispanics, 56% of black voters, and even 46% of democrats support voter ID,” said pollster and Senior Partner John Rogers. He added that Republicans view the issue as politically advantageous heading into the midterms. “It shows Republicans have another winning issue heading into the midterms if they lean into it with confidence.”
Jeffries has <a href="https://jeffries.house.gov/2026/02/08/leader-jeffries-on-cnn-we-need-to-ensure-that-there-are-legislative-changes-enacted-as-part-of-any-dhs-spending-bill/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">opposed</a> the SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, arguing that the GOP is attempting to discourage voter participation. &#8220;What Republicans are trying to do is to engage in clear and blatant voter suppression,&#8221; said Jeffries. &#8220;They know that if there&#8217;s a free and fair election in November, they&#8217;re going to lose.&#8221;
The House passed a version of the bill in the fall, which is now under consideration in the Senate.
The Cygnal poll was conducted from February 3-4 among 1,500 likely 2026 midterm voters and has a margin of error of 2.51%. It found 70% support for requiring voter ID for federal elections, compared with 26% opposed. Support was strongest among Republicans at 92%, while 46% of Democrats said they favor voter ID requirements.
Cygnal’s findings align with other national surveys. A Gallup poll conducted last fall found that <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx#:~:text=requiring%20photo%20identification%20to%20vote%20(84%25)">84%</a> of Americans favor voter ID requirements, while the Pew Research Center reported almost identical findings, with <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/02/voter-id-is-overwhelmingly-popular-with-literally-everyone-except-democrat-politicians/">83%</a> support.
The SAVE Act would mandate that states obtain documentary proof of American citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections and would require the removal of noncitizens from voter rolls. 
In order for the SAVE Act to pass the Senate, a simple majority of fifty-one votes is required. However, the bill would need 60 votes to overcome a potential filibuster. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has expressed support for voter ID requirements but acknowledged the measure might lack the votes to advance. &#8220;How we get to that vote remains to be seen,&#8221; he said.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-POLITICS-EARLY VOTING

Poll Undercuts Democrat ‘Voter Suppression’ Claims

Hakeem Jeffries

Poll

Voter ID

An expected Senate vote on a package to avert a government shutdown was scrapped on Thursday night after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) objected to the removal of a provision allowing senators to sue if their phone records were snooped on. 
Graham’s opposition came after the White House and Senate Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-and-senate-dems-strike-deal-ahead-of-government-shutdown?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=White+House+And+Senate+Dems+Strike+Deal+Ahead+Of+Government+Shutdown">reached a deal</a> to separate out funding for the Department of Homeland Security from five appropriation bills previously approved by the House. As senators prepared to vote, Graham met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to discuss the agreement. 
“We’re not voting tonight,” Graham said Thursday night after leaving Thune’s office, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5714316-senate-government-funding-shutdown/">reported</a>. 
Part of Graham’s objection stemmed from the House vote to repeal a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shutdown-deal-packs-a-surprise-as-republicans-strike-back-after-phone-snooping">provision tucked</a> into the continuing resolution passed in November that allowed senators to sue for damages if the government accessed their records without their knowledge. That provision was added after it was revealed that the FBI had analyzed the metadata of phone calls from several congressional Republicans as part of the investigation into President Donald Trump following the January 6 attack. 
“What senator wouldn’t want notification that they’re looking at your phone?” Graham said. 
“I fixed the problem that people had. I’m not going to ignore what happened. If you were abused, you think you were abused, your phone records were illegally seized — you should have your day in court,” he added. “Every senator should want to make sure this never happens again.”
After the passage of the continuing resolution in November, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) promised a vote on repealing the provision, saying that it should apply to all Americans, not just senators. The House followed through earlier this month, repealing the measure as part of the appropriations package it passed. 
Graham also said he opposed separating out funding for DHS.
“The cops need us right now,” he said. “They’re being demonized. They’re being spat upon. They can’t sleep at night.“
Thune said Thursday that he was hopeful that the Senate would be able to vote on the White House-backed deal. The government will shut down at midnight on Friday without any further funding. 
“Hopefully by sometime tomorrow we’ll be in a better spot,” Thune <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/01/30/congress/shutdown-deal-lindsey-graham-dhs-00756840">said</a> on Thursday. “Tomorrow’s another day, and hopefully people will be in a spirit to try and get this done.”
Trump urged lawmakers on Thursday to support the deal with Democrats to pass the appropriations bill and a two-week extension of Homeland Security funds to allow time for negotiations.
“Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before),” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”

Senate Works On Passage Of Government Spending Bill To Avert Longterm Government Shutdown

Senate Delays Shutdown Deal After Lindsey Graham Objects

Department of Homeland Security

Government Shutdown

Lindsey Graham

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