Senate Leader Thune Rebukes White House Over Stalled SAVE Act Vote

Published Jul 23, 05:31 PM UTC

Senate Majority Leader John Thune sharply rebuked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt after she stated President Trump's patience was running out over the stalled SAVE America Act. Thune challenged the White House to secure the necessary votes themselves, noting the Senate is evenly split at 50-50 and blaming Democrats for blocking the bill. The SAVE Act, which would require voters to present a passport or birth certificate to register, impose photo ID requirements, and ban mail-in voting, has faced widespread criticism for potentially disenfranchising millions. Trump has made the bill's passage a condition for supporting any other legislation, causing a stalemate that has delayed funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the National Defense Authorization Act, and a bipartisan housing bill. The House narrowly passed a budget blueprint including parts of the SAVE Act, but the Senate faces an August 7 recess deadline.