It must be exhausting to be a senator—taking all those long vacations away from Congress to go back home and hobnob with constituents—a ribbon cutting here, a rubber chicken dinner there, speeches, golf, and naps—lots of naps. How good it is for our cherished senators to finally return to Washington, D.C. from their two-week spring break and get back to doing virtually nothing.

Tension was thick before the break, with Senate Republican Leader John Thune, (R-SD) facing intense pressure to get the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act passed. This critical election integrity legislation aims to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.

Thune got the bill to the floor where there were some discussions and amendments, but it never went for a full vote. Discussion on the SAVE America Act is expected to continue on the Senate floor this week, a source familiar with the plan told Restoration News.

But gone is the urgency to pass SAVE America before spring break, and if we know anything about Congress, it works better under a looming deadline. The midterm elections ought to be enough to zap cold congressional hearts into action, but it is not the 11th hour yet. Let’s hope that this time, Republicans won’t take weeks to warm up to working. A passed SAVE America Act could be applied to the midterms, ensuring more secure elections.

BREAKING – John Thune is now completely contradicting past reports that 51 GOP senators supported passing the SAVE Act, now stating he won’t bring forth the talking filibuster, saying, “We don’t have the votes to proceed with the talking filibuster.” pic.twitter.com/VDalTuFy9r

— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) March 10, 2026

Before spring break, Thune called the act an 80–20 issue with virtually all Americans supporting it. Yet he said he did not have the votes to pass SAVE America.

President Donald Trump said it is Thune’s job to get the votes.

🚨 JUST IN: President Trump tells Sen. John Thune to BE A LEADER and FIGHT to nuke the filibuster to SAVE America

REPORTER: Leader Thune told me they don't have the votes.

TRUMP: "That's part of being a LEADER. You have to GET the votes!"

REPORTER: Do you have confidence in… pic.twitter.com/KBxwpWXWJy

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 30, 2026

The SAVE Act simply requires voters to provide documented proof that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. Amendments to the bill add a requirement for voters to show a photo identification at the polling place. That goes for anyone voting by mail too, other than military overseas voters. Mail voters must provide a copy of their photo ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security number and a signed affidavit, “attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain such a copy,” the amendments read.

These measures make it hard to cheat and would restore sorely needed confidence in election results.

Democrats have long opposed a photo ID, but they would accept a no-photo electric bill or a housing lease agreement as proof to vote.

“Give me a break,” Thune said on the Senate floor before spring break.

“If someone asks you for an ID in any other circumstance, are you going to pull out your electric bill? Can you get into a bar by showing your lease? Can you prove eligibility to work at your new job by pulling out the water bill? No, you cannot. And I’d like to see someone try to get on a plane by presenting a photocopy of their debit card . . . when Republicans say voter ID, we mean an actual ID. With a picture. Issued by a government. The kind of ID that’s required for a whole bunch of things in our daily lives: Starting a new job. Driving a car. Doing an early pick-up at school. Opening a bank account. Getting a library card. The Democrat leader suggested that photo IDs are somehow out of reach for voters—that they need ‘inclusive’ voter ID options . . . how does [Sen. Chuck Shumer] think Americans are navigating all of the scenarios I just mentioned?”

Thune is saying the right things, but does he feel the urgency to act? Soon we will find out if Thune worked over spring break. Did he make some calls and connections and find enough votes? Will history remember him as one who helped SAVE America? Or come 2028 when he is up for reelection, will South Dakota voters remember Thune as the guy who didn’t have the finesse to sell the most obvious, bipartisan, 80–20 bill of the decade?

Thune and the rest of the Senate need some pressure from the voters who put them into office. Restoration of America is spending $5 million on advertising that urges voters like you to contact your senators. Tell them to vote in favor of the SAVE America Act. Remind them that there are people outside the Washington Beltway depending on them to get this right.