Republicans are launching an unprecedented effort to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about a voting bill they know can’t pass.
FILE - The icon for the TikTok video sharing app is seen on a smartphone in Marple Township, Pa., Feb. 28, 2023. Jacksonville TikTok influencer advocates for further expansion of trade programs in Duval County Read full article: Jacksonville TikTok influencer advocates for further expansion of trade programs in Duval CountySomeone in home fires at officers as they chase 2 men on foot through neighborhood after traffic stop: JSO Read full article: Someone in home fires at officers as they chase 2 men on foot through neighborhood after traffic stop: JSOAttorney predicts grand jury indictment, possible life sentence after Ponte Vedra Walgreens double homicideSenate Majority Leader John Thune , R-S.
D., speaks to reporters after a weekly Republican luncheon, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order regarding a task force on fraud in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters after a weekly Republican luncheon, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Trump’s insistence on the issue, which triggers a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or find another workaround to pass the bill, but Thune has repeatedly said he doesn’t have the votes to do that.Instead, Republicans intend to make a long, noisy show of support for the legislation, which would require Americans to prove they are U.S. citizens before they register to vote and to show identification at the polls, among other things. It's a risky strategy, with no guarantee it will be enough for Trump, who has said he won’t sign other bills untilThe floor debate is expected to eventually end with a failed vote. Republicans need 60 votes to advance the bill to a final vote, but they hold 53 seats, and all 45 Democrats and both independents, who caucus with the Democrats, oppose it.Trump says, without evidence, that Democrats can only win in the midterms if they cheat and explicitly said Republicans need the SAVE America Act to win in November. The House passed the legislation earlier this year, but the Senate turned to other issues as it became clear that Republicans didn’t have the votes to pass it. But Trump made clear he wasn't satisfied and pushed the Senate to act. The Republican president has said he won't sign other legislation, including a bipartisan housing bill backed by the White House, until the voting bill passes. The bill contains a slew of provisions that Trump and his most loyal supporters have pushed as part of a broad effort to assert federal control over elections. It would require voters nationwide to provide proof of citizenship when they register and to show accepted voter identification when casting a ballot. It would also create new penalties for election workers who register voters without proof of citizenship and require states to hand voter data over to the Department of Homeland Security so federal officials could screen for voters who are in the country illegally.“It’ll guarantee the midterms,” Trump said of the bill last week. “If you don’t get it, big trouble.”Democrats and many groups that champion voter access say there is little evidence of noncitizens voting and say the bill would disenfranchise millions of voters — including Republicans — by creating new burdens to prove citizenship. It is already illegal to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen, but the bill would lay out strict new rules for paperwork that people would have to present to register to vote. Opponents of the measure say those documents are not always readily available for many people. “There is no new problem to solve here,” said Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, a civil rights law advocacy group. “There is an apparatus already to ensure that elections are safe and secure and that only eligible voters are casting ballots in our elections.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats are not opposed to voter identification but “this is about purging the voter rolls in a massive way, so you never even get the chance to show a voter ID when you showed up to vote because you’d be knocked off the rolls.”Trump, backed by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, has pushed for a talking filibuster, which would force Democrats to talk for days or weeks to delay passage of the bill. But Thune and the larger GOP conference rejected that idea, arguing that it would end in failure after giving Democrats a stage and the opportunity to offer endless amendments, potentially adding their priorities to the bill. Republicans are instead taking over the floor with their own speeches, proceeding under regular order but operating outside the normal time limits that are customary when debating legislation. Democrats are expected to answer with their own procedural hijinks, potentially forcing Republicans to come to the floor at all hours for votes, meaning they will need to stay close to the Senate for the duration. Lee said last week that it’s unclear how it will all play out. He said he thinks Trump “understands that we need to put in an aggressive effort here.”The extent of Trump’s satisfaction with the process, Lee said, “will depend on whether, in his view, we gave it everything we have.”Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Gas station awning toppled during thunderstorms in Nassau CountyPonte Vedra double murder happened very close to another high profile crime sceneLights Out: Residents, businesses asked to turn off non-essential lights for bird migrationLudvig Åberg talks about entering the final round of The Players Championship with a 3-shot leadSuspect arrested in Nassau County after fatal double shooting near TPCOrange Park police successfully prevent rumored unauthorized event from taking placeNocatee community rallies around resident who was left with a brain injury after a golf cart crashDuval County School Board approves Kings Trail Elementary sale, neighbors raise traffic concernsBrunswick police warn against ‘teen takeovers’ after disruption at First Friday eventVoices of the 904 S2 Ep 1. - How her work for the Northside is a love letter to its culture, historyVoices of the 904 S2 Ep 1. - How her work for the Northside is a love letter to its culture, history
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