GOP Senator Admits MAGA Stunt to Rescue Trump Bill a Waste of Time

Republican senator says using a talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act would "chew up the rest of the year" with little result.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 10:20pm

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Senate Republicans are not keen on using a talking filibuster to pass President Donald Trump's SAVE America Act, which lacks the votes to advance in the chamber. GOP Senator Cynthia Lummis dismissed the prospect as logistically unworkable, saying it would "chew up the rest of the year" with little to show for it. Meanwhile, Democrats are pointing fingers at Republicans for blocking unanimous consent to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which includes agencies like the TSA and FEMA.

Why it matters

The SAVE Act has faced fierce criticism for imposing strict voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship to register to vote, which critics say would disproportionately disenfranchise Native American communities and tribal elders. The Republican push for the bill is seen as an effort to gain an electoral advantage in the upcoming midterm elections.

The details

Trump and his allies, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), have urged Republicans to force a marathon talking filibuster to try to break Democratic resistance and pass the SAVE Act. However, Sen. Lummis admitted the practicality of doing so "is not apparent" to her, as it would "chew up the rest of the year" with little result. Meanwhile, Democrats are accusing Republicans of blocking unanimous consent to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which includes agencies like the TSA and FEMA.

  • On Thursday, the Senate again failed to secure enough votes to advance a Homeland Security funding bill.

The players

Cynthia Lummis

A Republican senator from Wyoming who dismissed the prospect of using a talking filibuster to pass the SAVE Act, saying it would "chew up the rest of the year" with little result.

Mike Lee

A Republican senator from Utah who has pushed for Republicans to force a marathon talking filibuster to try to break Democratic resistance and pass the SAVE Act.

Ben Ray Luján

A Democratic senator from New Mexico who accused Republicans of blocking unanimous consent to fund the Department of Homeland Security, calling GOP claims that Democrats are obstructing the process "baloney."

Donald Trump

The former president who has pushed for the SAVE Act, which would impose strict voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship to register to vote.

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What they’re saying

“The practicality of doing it just is not apparent to me.”

— Cynthia Lummis, Republican Senator

“Everything for the last month has been C-SPAN theater.”

— Cynthia Lummis, Republican Senator

“Republicans believe the SAVE Act wins them the midterms. This is not about fraud or this one thing or another. They wanna cheat and steal these elections in November because they see what's really happening.”

— Ben Ray Luján, Democratic Senator

“It would throw them off the rolls. They take away their rights. It's just ridiculous.”

— Ben Ray Luján, Democratic Senator

What’s next

The Senate may drag out floor time next week as the debate over the SAVE Act and DHS funding continues.

The takeaway

This episode highlights the partisan divide over voting rights and election integrity, with Republicans pushing for stricter voting rules that Democrats argue are aimed at gaining an unfair electoral advantage. The inability of the Senate to find common ground on these issues suggests the political gridlock is likely to continue.