Republicans have begun putting Democrats on the record on President Trump’s top legislative priorities as the Senate heads into its second week debating the SAVE America Act.
Democrats rejected an effort to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports on Saturday. Next up, Republicans say they will find out whether Democrats actually support voter ID.
“What we are trying to do is ensure that we are having a fulsome debate on an issue that is overwhelmingly supported by the American people, and one that puts everybody on the record, one way or the other,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican.
The votes are part of the ongoing Senate debate on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act for short.
The House-passed bill requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot, as well as mandates for states to clean up their voter rolls.
A CBS News poll conducted last week showed 80% of Americans support requiring a valid photo ID to vote, including 95% of Republicans, 79% of independents and 65% of Democrats. That is largely in line with other public opinion polls on the topic.
The poll found requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote was slightly less popular, with 66% support overall.
President Trump has proposed the Senate add other provisions he argues are popular with the American people to the SAVE America Act, including restrictions on mail-in voting and a crackdown on transgender policies.
Democrats blocked Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s amendment to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. It failed in a 49-41 party-line vote, short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
“For some reason, my Democrat colleagues do not want to protect girls and women in sports,” said Mr. Tuberville, Alabama Republican and a former college football coach. “It’s ludicrous.”
Nine senators were absent for the rare Saturday vote, which Democrats derided as a “waste of time.”
“MAGA Republicans wasted Senate floor time on a radical cultural war amendment that went nowhere. It failed and it accomplished nothing,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, defended the effort as an attempt to codify Mr. Trump’s February 2025 executive order allowing the administration to rescind federal funds from educational programs that allow transgender women in women’s sports.
“The guy couldn’t win in the guy’s category, so they claim to be female so they could take away that opportunity, so they can take away that trophy, so they can take away the scholarship from young women,” Ms. Blackburn said. “I think that is disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.”
A Gallup poll from last May found that 69% of Americans, including 90% of Republicans, 72% of independents and 41% of Democrats, believe athletes should only be allowed to play on sports teams that match their sex.
Democrats did not speak on the floor about why they opposed the amendment, and only a few offered any public comment.
“While Republicans keep the Senate in session to try and pass their dangerous SAVE Act, they also tried to push through a ridiculous ban on transgender athletes,” said Sen. Ed Markey, Massachusetts Democrat, on social media. “We blocked it.”
Mr. Thune said Republicans will next force a vote on a standalone voter-ID mandate, since several Democrats have said that is not why they are objecting to the SAVE America Act.
Sen. Jon Husted, Ohio Republican, said 36 states already have voter ID laws but the goal is to create a national standard that “will provide for integrity in our elections.”
He has introduced legislation providing five options voters can use to show identification at the polls: a driver’s license, other state-issued photo ID, a military ID, a tribal ID or a passport.
Mr. Husted tried to pass his bill by unanimous consent last week but Democrats objected, so Republicans are planning for a roll-call vote on it this week.
“You have to show a photo ID to board a plane, to buy a beer. Why not to vote?” said Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming. “It’s overwhelmingly popular with the American people.”
Democrats say Republicans are trying to use the voter ID provision to mask other parts of the bill that will make it harder for citizens to vote and that the entire debate is about appeasing the president.
“Donald Trump doesn’t like to lose elections and his team wants to shield him from another embarrassing loss this coming fall,” said Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Democrat. “That’s it.”
