Four Republican senators often critical of President Donald Trump voted against instructing the chamber's rules committee to find a way to add SAVE America Act elements to the budget reconciliation package.
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., broke with much of the GOP conference, opposing an amendment from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., aimed at advancing key election integrity provisions backed by Trump, The Hill reported Thursday.
The proposed measure would have directed the Senate Rules Committee to craft legislation ensuring only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections, requiring voter identification, and limiting early voting — central components of the SAVE America Act, a top priority for Trump ahead of the midterms.
Kennedy acknowledged procedural hurdles but urged colleagues to try.
"Some say it can't be done under the Budget Act and under the Byrd Rule and reconciliation. And you know what? They may be right. But you know what else? They can’t predict the future. They’re not clairvoyant," he argued on the Senate floor.
Despite support from many Republicans, the amendment failed, with all Democrats voting against it and the four Republicans joining them to block the effort.
Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have fiercely opposed the legislation, characterizing it as restrictive to voting access.
The vote came amid a marathon Senate session focused on advancing a budget resolution to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through reconciliation, a process that allows Republicans to bypass the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
While most Republicans have rallied behind the broader effort to secure border funding and advance Trump's agenda, divisions within the party surfaced repeatedly during the overnight debate.
Murkowski and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also voted against the underlying budget resolution itself, citing concerns over removing ICE and Border Patrol funding from the annual appropriations process and increasing federal spending, The Hill reported.
Paul, a fiscal hawk, argued that Congress should fully offset the $70 billion in new funding rather than add to existing obligations.
Meanwhile, three Republicans — Collins, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., sided with Democrats on a separate amendment from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., seeking to tie U.S. drug prices to those in other countries, The Hill reported.
The measure ultimately failed to gain enough support.
Despite these internal disagreements, Senate Republicans succeeded in passing the budget framework, setting the stage for a reconciliation package aimed at funding key homeland security agencies and advancing core GOP priorities.
Republican leaders have emphasized that securing the border remains a top concern, especially as Democrats have resisted funding increases for immigration enforcement.
The reconciliation strategy is seen as a way to move forward without Democrat support, ensuring that ICE and Border Patrol continue operating.
Still, the failure to incorporate SAVE America Act provisions underscores the challenges Republicans face in uniting around a broader legislative agenda, even on issues that have become central to Trump’s platform.
As the measure heads to the House, GOP leaders will need near-unanimous support to pass it.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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