Thune plans mock ‘talking filibuster’ to calm SAVE America Act uproar
Same show, different day.
Senate Republicans are planning a marathon debate on President Donald Trump’s marquee elections bill, a move designed to ease tensions with the MAGA Right after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ruled out a talking filibuster.
Thune’s staff has been gaming out days of floor debate that are likely to begin next Monday or Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. Also involved are the White House legislative affairs office and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the lead co-sponsor of the legislation, dubbed the SAVE America Act.
The contours of that process are still coming together, with Thune first announcing the strategy to his conference on Tuesday, but the overall goal is to replicate a talking filibuster, a way to skirt the usual 60-vote threshold.
The strategy falls short of Lee’s request, amplified by Trump and outside activists, that Thune implement a genuine talking filibuster, which only requires 50 votes, and send the bill to the president’s desk. Thune announced earlier this week that he lacked the GOP support to go that route, sparking new rounds of criticism from the Right.
Under Thune’s plan, the 60-vote marker remains intact, but Republicans would try to put public pressure on Democrats on everything from voter ID to unrelated topics like transgender politics, issues that Trump wants to make a litmus test for the midterm elections.
Both sides would get time to speak in support or opposition to the bill, though Republicans control what gets brought up for a vote, and much of the strategy involves keeping Democrats on defense.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will need to keep at least one senator on the floor at all times to block the SAVE America Act from passing. The only danger that Republicans will have to navigate is if Democrats offer privileged motions or try to call up votes of their own.
One GOP aide told the Washington Examiner that the debate could last through the weekend, with leadership encouraging as many Republican senators to participate as possible. Lee, for his part, wants to see Thune leave the process open far longer and cancel the upcoming April recess if needed to pressure Democrats.
“I don’t think we ought to choose any back-end limit to what we’re willing to do,” Lee said. “Otherwise, they’ll just ride us out.”
Thune has kept Lee involved in the process, meeting with him on Wednesday night to talk through his current thinking. Lee’s legislative director also spent most of the day …
Same show, different day.
Senate Republicans are planning a marathon debate on President Donald Trump’s marquee elections bill, a move designed to ease tensions with the MAGA Right after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ruled out a talking filibuster.
Thune’s staff has been gaming out days of floor debate that are likely to begin next Monday or Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. Also involved are the White House legislative affairs office and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the lead co-sponsor of the legislation, dubbed the SAVE America Act.
The contours of that process are still coming together, with Thune first announcing the strategy to his conference on Tuesday, but the overall goal is to replicate a talking filibuster, a way to skirt the usual 60-vote threshold.
The strategy falls short of Lee’s request, amplified by Trump and outside activists, that Thune implement a genuine talking filibuster, which only requires 50 votes, and send the bill to the president’s desk. Thune announced earlier this week that he lacked the GOP support to go that route, sparking new rounds of criticism from the Right.
Under Thune’s plan, the 60-vote marker remains intact, but Republicans would try to put public pressure on Democrats on everything from voter ID to unrelated topics like transgender politics, issues that Trump wants to make a litmus test for the midterm elections.
Both sides would get time to speak in support or opposition to the bill, though Republicans control what gets brought up for a vote, and much of the strategy involves keeping Democrats on defense.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will need to keep at least one senator on the floor at all times to block the SAVE America Act from passing. The only danger that Republicans will have to navigate is if Democrats offer privileged motions or try to call up votes of their own.
One GOP aide told the Washington Examiner that the debate could last through the weekend, with leadership encouraging as many Republican senators to participate as possible. Lee, for his part, wants to see Thune leave the process open far longer and cancel the upcoming April recess if needed to pressure Democrats.
“I don’t think we ought to choose any back-end limit to what we’re willing to do,” Lee said. “Otherwise, they’ll just ride us out.”
Thune has kept Lee involved in the process, meeting with him on Wednesday night to talk through his current thinking. Lee’s legislative director also spent most of the day …
Thune plans mock ‘talking filibuster’ to calm SAVE America Act uproar
Same show, different day.
Senate Republicans are planning a marathon debate on President Donald Trump’s marquee elections bill, a move designed to ease tensions with the MAGA Right after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ruled out a talking filibuster.
Thune’s staff has been gaming out days of floor debate that are likely to begin next Monday or Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. Also involved are the White House legislative affairs office and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), the lead co-sponsor of the legislation, dubbed the SAVE America Act.
The contours of that process are still coming together, with Thune first announcing the strategy to his conference on Tuesday, but the overall goal is to replicate a talking filibuster, a way to skirt the usual 60-vote threshold.
The strategy falls short of Lee’s request, amplified by Trump and outside activists, that Thune implement a genuine talking filibuster, which only requires 50 votes, and send the bill to the president’s desk. Thune announced earlier this week that he lacked the GOP support to go that route, sparking new rounds of criticism from the Right.
Under Thune’s plan, the 60-vote marker remains intact, but Republicans would try to put public pressure on Democrats on everything from voter ID to unrelated topics like transgender politics, issues that Trump wants to make a litmus test for the midterm elections.
Both sides would get time to speak in support or opposition to the bill, though Republicans control what gets brought up for a vote, and much of the strategy involves keeping Democrats on defense.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will need to keep at least one senator on the floor at all times to block the SAVE America Act from passing. The only danger that Republicans will have to navigate is if Democrats offer privileged motions or try to call up votes of their own.
One GOP aide told the Washington Examiner that the debate could last through the weekend, with leadership encouraging as many Republican senators to participate as possible. Lee, for his part, wants to see Thune leave the process open far longer and cancel the upcoming April recess if needed to pressure Democrats.
“I don’t think we ought to choose any back-end limit to what we’re willing to do,” Lee said. “Otherwise, they’ll just ride us out.”
Thune has kept Lee involved in the process, meeting with him on Wednesday night to talk through his current thinking. Lee’s legislative director also spent most of the day …
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