Thune on SAVE Act: “It’s just common sense”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Tuesday touted the SAVE America Act, a GOP bill that would require ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, calling it a package of "commonsense" measures.

"If there's anything essential to the integrity of elections, it's ensuring that those who are registered to vote are eligible to vote, and that those who show up to vote at polling places are who they say they are," he said on the floor ahead of what is expected to be a dayslong marathon debate over the bill.

"And how do you do that? Well, by requiring that Americans show proof of citizenship when they register to vote — and that they show photo ID at polling places. That's what the SAVE America Act would do. It's just common sense."

The South Dakota Republican noted that photo ID is required in the U.S. for a host of other circumstances, like boarding a plane, visiting the doctor, getting a library card, renting a car and checking into a hotel room.

"But to hear Democrats talk, you'd think that demonstrating citizenship or showing a photo ID is an intolerable burden," he said. "Are they going to start boycotting libraries and airplanes and hotels for requiring a photo ID? Are they going to explain why they're perfectly justified in requiring photo ID for their political rallies, but why it's somehow an intolerable burden to ask people to show their photo ID when they go to vote? I expect they won't."

The bill is a top priority for President Trump, who has threatened not to sign any legislation until it gets to his desk, but Senate Republicans do not have the votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster, nor the votes to change the chamber's filibuster rules to approve it with a simple majority vote.

The president also wants to attach a handful of other provisions that could make it even harder to pass, including ending most mail-in voting, banning biological men from competing in women's sports, and prohibiting minors from getting transgender surgery.