Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Tuesday reportedly said he has made no decision about bypassing Senate filibuster rules to advance legislation.
Thune's comments come as conservatives press Senate leadership to consider procedural changes to move the SAVE America Act forward.
The election integrity bill is backed by President Donald Trump and would require voter identification and proof of citizenship in federal elections.
In an interview cited by Politico, Thune said discussions are ongoing but emphasized that no final decision has been made to alter Senate rules that currently require 60 votes to advance most legislation.
"Some of our colleagues in the Senate are interested in it," Thune said. "We will have a conversation about it.
"Nothing decided."
The remarks follow claims by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., that she received assurances from the White House that the Senate would allow a so-called "standing" or "talking" filibuster — a move that would require senators to physically hold the floor to block a vote, rather than relying on the modern 60-vote cloture threshold.
Luna said President Trump strongly supports passage of the SAVE America Act and views election integrity as a top priority.
"Just left the White House. POTUS wants the SAVE America Act passed! Voter ID is number one," Luna wrote Monday in a post on X.
She argued that the current "zombie filibuster," which allows senators to block legislation without extended debate, is being used by Democrats to kill popular reforms supported by a majority of Americans.
"The pathway forward is through the standing filibuster," Luna said, calling it one of the only viable ways to force a vote on voter ID legislation.
The SAVE America Act is a revised version of the SAVE Act, which passed the House earlier this year.
The updated bill, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, would require photo identification to vote in federal elections, mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration, and require states to clean noncitizens from voter rolls.
Roy and Lee said the bill ensures that U.S. elections are decided "by U.S. citizens — and U.S. citizens alone."
Democrats have vowed to block the measure.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declared the legislation "dead on arrival," claiming it would impose "Jim Crow-style restrictions" — a charge Republicans reject as inflammatory and false.
Many GOP senators remain wary of weakening the filibuster, arguing that any change could later be used by Democrats to pass sweeping leftist legislation if the control of power shifts.
The debate highlights growing frustration among conservatives who say Senate rules are being weaponized to block commonsense election safeguards with broad public support.
If the Senate were to pass the SAVE America Act, the legislation would still need final House approval before being sent to Trump for his signature.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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