U.S. Senate to hold marathon debate on GOP voter ID bill
The move is an attempt to appease a vocal minority of Republicans who have called for Thune to revive the “talking filibuster,” which would require Democrats to hold the floor in order for the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to remain in force.
By Thérèse Boudreaux | The Center Square
Published: March 15, 2026 7:03pm
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., plans to bring a Republican elections reform bill to the floor next week and kickstart a marathon debate that could potentially last days.
The move is an attempt to appease a vocal minority of Republicans who have called for Thune to revive the “talking filibuster,” which would require Democrats to hold the floor in order for the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to remain in force.
President Donald Trump endorsed the talking filibuster, but Thune has argued that there is not enough support in the Republican Caucus.
The marathon debate is unlikely to change the minds of enough Democrats to overcome the filibuster. But Thune and his supporters argue that it will at least force Senate Democrats to go on the record about why they oppose the House-passed SAVE America Act.
“I can’t guarantee an outcome on this legislation. But I can guarantee that we are going to put Democrats on the record,” Thune told lawmakers. “That they will be forced to defend their outrageous positions on these issues – and explain to the American people why common sense and the Democratic Party have parted ways.”
The SAVE America Act would mandate that Americans display a valid ID to vote in federal elections, require people to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and necessitate in-person voter registration for federal elections.
It also directs states to remove all noncitizens from their voter rolls.
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https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/us-senate-hold-marathon-debate-gop-voter-id-bill#article
