Trump Backstabbed By GOP Again

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sharply criticized the Republican-backed SAVE America Act on the Senate floor Thursday, warning that he would use every available procedural tool to slow Senate business if the legislation returns for another vote before the November elections.

Tillis, who is retiring at the end of his term and has increasingly broken with the Trump administration on several issues, argued that the proposed election legislation cannot be implemented in time for this year’s election. Speaking forcefully on the Senate floor, he said including the bill in a budget reconciliation package would only create confusion and delay other legislative priorities.

The North Carolina senator’s comments came as the House considered a Republican package that includes provisions from the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act. President Donald Trump has made passage of the legislation one of his top congressional priorities, although similar versions have failed to advance in the Senate multiple times.

Using a whiteboard during his remarks, Tillis pointed to his experience helping implement voter identification laws in North Carolina. He argued that election officials across the country would not have enough time to update systems, train workers, and comply with new federal requirements before voters head to the polls.

Tillis said every version of the SAVE legislation proposed so far suffers from the same problem: it cannot realistically be put into effect before the upcoming election. While he voiced support for encouraging states to strengthen voter identification requirements through grants and oversight, he argued that forcing the changes through the reconciliation process is the wrong approach.

According to Tillis, attempting to pass the legislation now could undermine public confidence in the election while consuming valuable congressional time needed to complete government funding and other essential legislation before the election.

He urged lawmakers to focus on passing appropriations bills and avoiding unnecessary political battles, saying Congress should stop introducing proposals that complicate the legislative process and distract from priorities that can realistically be completed before Election Day.