South Dakota Sen. John Thune again called budget reconciliation the SAVE Act’s best route through the Senate. He acknowledged that the process could advance only parts of the bill. His remarks drew attention because he rejected a talking filibuster and offered no route for passing the full measure.
Fox News aired the exchange, and a clip later circulated on X.
Thune called reconciliation “probably the best path to success.” He said the process could not carry every SAVE Act provision.
He contrasted reconciliation with a talking filibuster, which he said has not been used in roughly a century. Thune said that approach would give Democrats unlimited debate and unlimited amendments.
Each amendment vote would reset the clock, he said. Thune calculated that 47 Democrats could deliver 94 hours of speeches.
He said each amendment could then restart the process. Thune said Democrats were “salivating” over that opportunity.
He also doubted Republicans had enough votes to begin the strategy.
Fox News then asked whether he was working to assemble Senate support. “We are,” Thune replied.
He said the legislation remained pending for more than two weeks in late February and early March. Thune said the Senate held five votes on the SAVE Act and related provisions.
Those votes covered photo ID, citizenship registration, the full bill, and a measure concerning girls’ sports. Thune said Democrats opposed every proposal as a bloc.
He accused at least a dozen Democrats of publicly supporting photo ID before voting against it. When they faced Senate votes, Thune said, they had to “put up or shut up.”
John Thune’s SAVE Act Reconciliation Pitch Draws GOP Skepticism
The exchange drew skepticism from users questioning Thune’s follow-through, while others defended his assessment of Senate resistance.
One user wrote, “He has said the same thing repeatedly, and nothing has been done. Do we believe him this time?” Another questioned, “Okay so is he saying this to pay us all lip service or is he actually going to try the reconciliation route?”
A separate response stated, “He has no time to bring a vote yet has time to go on Hannity! WTH?” Another urged, “He needs to stop making excuses, do his job, and wrangle the votes in!”
Other users defended Thune’s position. One wrote, “Thune’s right. Dems talk voter ID but won’t vote for it. Reconciliation is the only path. Skip recess and pass it.”
Another argued, “As much as I think the guy is a terrible senate leader, he’s not wrong about the Dem support. Dem lawmakers stopped representing their voters a long time ago and won’t vote for the SAVE act.”
Whether reconciliation can advance any SAVE Act provisions remains unresolved. Thune also said Republicans may lack the votes for a talking filibuster.
