Over 20 Republicans join Sen. Lee’s bid to cancel recess unless Senate passes SAVE Act

SALT LAKE CITY — Nearly two dozen Republican senators have publicly backed Sen. Mike Lee’s bid to cancel or delay the annual August recess unless they pass his proof-of-citizenship and voter ID bill, setting up a potential clash with GOP leadership.

At least 20 senators have vowed to support an effort by Lee to force a vote on whether to adjourn for the upcoming recess period, which is scheduled to begin after this week.

Lee has not yet committed to force a vote, but it could put Senate Republican leaders into a bind as they look to sort out their agenda and get their vulnerable members home to campaign.

“Right now, we are working on a promising avenue to strengthen election security while finding the right legislative vehicle,” Lee told the Deseret News in a statement. “The next few days will determine whether the Senate earns its recess by delivering for American voters. If we don’t, I will do everything I can to keep us working in Washington. I’m glad so many of my courageous colleagues agree.”

The Senate has a hefty to-do list before leaders plan to adjourn for the five-week recess, but so far there are no plans to put the SAVE America Act on the floor.

The bill has been stalled in the Senate for months as it requires 60 votes to officially end debate, meaning at least seven Democrats would need to join all Republicans for it to advance — a mathematical equation that has been proven impossible.

The Senate could instead vote to advance Republicans’ multibillion-dollar budget resolution to fund the military and provide farm aid, which also includes some provisions of SAVE in the form of state grants. It’s not yet clear if or when that resolution could get a vote as GOP leaders worry there isn’t ample support.

However, it could be enough for Republicans such as Lee to allow for the recess period to commence.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters this week he wasn’t sure if senators would force a vote on adjourning, which is typically approved through unanimous consent and doesn’t require a roll call vote. However, he closed the door on putting the SAVE America Act on the floor by itself.

“I am willing to, in any way possible, get that across the finish line if there is a path to do it,” Thune said on Tuesday. “It seems to me some days that I’m the only one here who can count to 50 in this town. But we don’t have the votes to get rid of the filibuster, and we aren’t flipping 10 Democrats to vote for SAVE.”

“Now, is there somewhere in here with budget reconciliation that we can do pieces of the SAVE America Act, or at least in a fiscal way, deal with funding for some of those things? Maybe,” he added. “We’ll see what the draft will bear on that. We’re having conversations about that proposition.”

The House passed its version of the $95 billion budget resolution last month, but the Senate has yet to approve its own iteration. Both must pass a resolution, which acts as instructions for congressional committees, before lawmakers can formally draft the spending legislation.

The Senate Budget Committee has yet to release the text of the resolution, but committee Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told reporters it is “already prepared” and he wants to force a vote ahead of the August recess.

The August recess is slotted into the legislative calendar every year to give lawmakers an opportunity to return to their home states or districts to meet with constituents. It also gives incumbents up for reelection time to campaign — especially ahead of a tough election cycle like the upcoming November midterms.

The August recess has very rarely been tampered with in the modern congressional era. The last time the recess period was canceled was in 2018 when then-Leader Mitch McConnell kept senators in town to work on appropriations bills and nominees in President Donald Trump’s first term.

It’s not yet clear if a roll call vote would be successful. Any effort to delay the recess period would need at least 50 senators to vote in favor.

Not all Republican senators seem eager to stay in Washington for the August period. Sen. John Curtis told the Deseret News he often gets more work done back home when he’s meeting with constituents than when lawmakers are dealing with stalled agendas on Capitol Hill.

“I understand from people’s perspective they want us here and working, but I also think it’s important to understand that we have a lot of responsibilities, and part of that is being in this state,” Curtis said.