Thune Uses Strategic Move to Advance SAVE ACT, Leaving Schumer Unable to Intervene

Speaking to reporters after a Senate Republican luncheon, Thune stated there is increasing support within the conference for using reconciliation if needed. He said, “I think that budget reconciliation, as I’ve said before, you have to have a reason to do it. And if we have reasons to do it—and we may, very well may—I think there’s a lot of support for a budget reconciliation bill.”

Thune mentioned that Republicans have several legislative options available and are willing to consider any choice that allows the bill to pass with a simple majority. He added, “We have two legislative vehicles, as you know, available to us, so we could tee one of those up. And that’s an option. And we’ll see—if that’s what it takes to get some of these things across the finish line, and we can do it with simple majorities, we’ll take a hard look at it.”

Under the reconciliation process, legislation that directly impacts federal spending or revenue can pass the Senate with 50 votes, with Vice President JD Vance able to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary. This procedure bypasses the 60-vote filibuster threshold that Democrats could otherwise use to block the bill. However, reconciliation is governed by the Byrd Rule, which requires provisions to have a direct budgetary impact; extraneous matters can be removed during the process.

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) strongly supported the strategy. Kennedy said, “I think we are, Mr. President—I know you are—we need to try to pass this legislation through reconciliation. It means we can pass this bill with 50 Republican votes and the Vice President to break the tie.”

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that internal discussions are already happening. He noted that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham is actively developing a reconciliation framework that could include parts of the SAVE America Act, possibly including funding for enforcement agencies like ICE or backfilling from larger spending packages.

Mullin highlighted the widespread popularity of the legislation, citing polls that show about 80 percent of Americans support limiting voting to properly registered U.S. citizens. He said, “There’s nothing more important than the SAVE America Act. That’s what the American people want. Eighty percent of the population says they want only Americans voting—citizens who are registered to vote, citizens who have done it the right way. And I believe that everybody wants election integrity.”

The SAVE America Act has become a priority for the Republican majority after the 2024 election, with party leaders arguing it would close loopholes that could allow non-citizens to register or vote in federal elections. Democrats have responded that existing laws already prohibit non-citizen voting and that the measure could create unnecessary obstacles for eligible voters.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not yet formally responded to Thune’s comments, but Democratic leaders have historically opposed reconciliation for policy measures they consider partisan. If Republicans proceed with this strategy, the bill would need to be carefully written to comply with the Byrd Rule while still achieving the main goal of citizenship verification.

These developments show the Republican conference’s determination to fulfill campaign promises regarding election integrity early in the new congressional session. With control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, the party is in a position to advance the legislation through regular order or reconciliation, depending on the level of Democratic opposition.

As discussions continue, Republican leadership is expected to finalize the legislative vehicle and timeline in the coming weeks. The SAVE America Act’s path forward will be an early test of the majority’s ability to unite behind procedural tools to enact key campaign commitments despite unified Democratic opposition.