Sen. Mike Lee urged the Senate to remain in continuous debate until the election bill passes, while Rep. Jim Jordan called on Republicans to eliminate the filibuster rather than risk Democrats doing so after regaining power.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers are increasing pressure on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act before an Aug. 8 deadline they say is necessary for the legislation’s election safeguards to be implemented ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, delivered separate appeals for immediate Senate action after the House-approved measure stalled in the upper chamber.
The legislation would require people registering to vote to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and would establish additional safeguards for voter registration and election procedures.
Lee argued that the Senate should make the bill its first priority when lawmakers return to Washington next week.
“Which would you rather have the Senate consider when it comes back into session next week? The SAVE America Act, or anything else?” Lee asked during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream.
Republicans face a narrowing legislative window. Supporters say the measure must be enacted by Aug. 8 for its requirements to take effect in time for the midterm elections.
Lee said Senate Republicans must be prepared to commit the time and effort needed to move the bill through the chamber.
“And the Senate needs to be willing to do the hard work to make sure that that happens,” Lee said.
He summarized the legislation’s objective as making “it easy to vote, hard to cheat.”
Bream noted that Republicans would need more than 48 votes to advance the legislation and raised the possibility that overcoming the Senate filibuster could become necessary.
Lee said eliminating the filibuster was one option, although he acknowledged that such a move appeared unlikely. He instead proposed keeping the Senate in continuous debate until opponents could no longer block a final vote.
“There are a couple ways to get there,” Lee said in the televised interview. “One would be nuking the filibuster, which appears unlikely to happen. But the other way is to exhaust the other side – to continue to debate the bill until it passes. This was a common procedure in the Senate for most of its existence; it needs to be used from time to time in situations like this one.”
“If we put it on the floor tomorrow, and we announce that we’re going to debate it until it passes, I’m confident that we can get there,” he added.
Jordan took a more direct position, arguing that Senate Republicans should end the filibuster now to enact the legislation rather than preserve a procedural rule that Democrats could eliminate if they return to power.
Speaking on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show,” Jordan said Republicans who reject any effort to remove the filibuster should consider what would happen under future Democratic control of the chamber.
“It looks like Republican senators who will not vote to ever get rid of the filibuster. I think we know what’s going to happen!” Jordan said.
“If Democrats ever get control, they’re going to do it,” he continued.
Jordan said Republicans should use their current opportunity to enact election rules before their opponents gain the ability to change Senate procedure themselves.
“So it seems like if that’s going to happen or if that might happen, we should probably get to stop it now and put in place these safeguards to make sure our elections are fair, our elections are honest, our elections are the way they’re supposed to be,” Jordan said in his television appearance.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on Senate Republicans to make the SAVE America Act a priority.
Supporters describe the measure as an effort to strengthen the voter-registration process, require documentary proof of citizenship and reduce opportunities for election fraud.
Although Lee and Jordan agreed on the need for immediate action, they emphasized different procedural strategies.
Jordan called for Republicans to eliminate the filibuster and pass the legislation with their existing majority. Lee acknowledged that option but focused on reviving the Senate practice of extended debate, arguing that Republican leaders could keep the bill on the floor until enough opposition collapsed to permit passage.
Both lawmakers warned that allowing the bill to remain stalled beyond Aug. 8 could prevent its requirements from being in place for the 2026 elections.
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