Sen. Josh Hawley lashed out at four Republican colleagues for voting against attaching a voter ID measure to a $70 billion budget reconciliation package.
The four Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – opposed a motion to waive procedural objections to an amendment on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, offered by Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The amendment required 60 votes to advance but fell 12 votes short.
Hawley’s Reaction
“I guess it’s frustration,” Hawley told Fox News Digital about the vote’s failure. “Voter ID is the most popular thing out there,” he added, noting that Missouri voters approved voter ID requirements in their state constitution.
Hawley said he could not understand why fellow Republicans would oppose voter identification legislation, stating that such measures enjoy widespread public support and are already implemented across many states. “People want their elections to be safe, they want them to be fair,” he said.
The Vote-a-rama Effort
During the Senate’s extended voting session on the GOP’s immigration enforcement package, Republicans attempted twice to attach the SAVE America Act to the broader measure. Both efforts encountered resistance from a group of Republicans who joined Senate Democrats in opposing the amendments.
Sen. Mike Lee of Utah offered a separate amendment that secured 50 Republican votes after Collins switched her position to support the original version of the SAVE America Act. Lee noted on X that with Vice President JD Vance available to break a tie, the measure would have sufficient support to pass the Senate.
Path Forward
“That means that but for the Zombie Filibuster, the House-passed SAVE America Act would now be on its way to the White House for President Trump’s signature,” Lee said. Some Republicans have urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to deploy a talking filibuster strategy to advance the bill through simple majority vote.
Senate Republicans previously attempted a lengthy floor push for the SAVE America Act in March, though momentum for the legislation has declined significantly since then.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Politics team contributed to this report.
