President Donald Trump is making an exception to his threat not to sign any legislation until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act and sends it to his desk.
A White House official told the Washington Examiner that Trump would sign legislation reopening the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shuttered for more than three weeks.
“The President was referring to other bills, not DHS funding,” the official said. “If the Democrats do the right thing and pass funding for DHS, the President will, of course, fund the agency.”
Over the weekend, Trump pledged not to sign any bills into law until the SAVE America Act, which would require national voter ID and proof of citizenship to register to vote, reaches his desk.
“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION – GO FOR THE GOLD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The SAVE Act passed the House last year, but has failed to make progress in the Senate because of the chamber’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. To get around the threshold, Trump and a cadre of conservative lawmakers are demanding Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to adopt a “talking filibuster.”
The standard Senate filibuster only requires a lawmaker to express opposition to a bill before 60 votes are required to advance the legislation. A talking filibuster, in comparison, requires lawmakers opposing a bill to speak on the Senate floor for as long as possible. Once all lawmakers yield and amendments are voted on, a simple-majority vote is needed to advance legislation.
TRUMP GRAPPLES WITH THE GREATEST COST OF HIS WAR IN IRAN: THE HUMAN COST
“It must be done immediately. It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE,” Trump posted. “[Voters] MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY – ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL: NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS: NO TRANSGENDER MUTILIZATION FOR CHILDREN! DO NOT FAIL!!!”
Democrats have refused to back legislation funding DHS until Trump agrees to broad reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite the White House making multiple offers, Democrats have stuck to their demands that ICE agents be banned from wearing masks while on duty, even as passengers see increased wait times at airports nationwide.
