WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), finalized a deal with President Trump and conservative holdouts late Friday, averting a floor fight over the budget resolution and clearing the way for the scheduled August recess.
The agreement defers action on the full SAVE America Act and the budget resolution until after the five-week recess. In exchange, the Senate will vote immediately on a measure requiring photo identification for federal elections.
Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) emerged from talks with Thune and Trump to confirm the deal. Johnson said the conference reached consensus to postpone the budget vote.
Johnson acknowledged the budget resolution might have failed on the floor for lack of Republican support. Some members wanted more Pentagon funding than the $73 billion in the House-passed version.
"There was a concern whether or not it could actually pass, the budget resolution, tonight," Johnson said. "The conclusion of the conference and then we had the discussion with the president, he agrees, don't take the vote tonight. Just work diligently through August and September to do an actually better budget reconciliation bill."
The SAVE America Act will not advance quickly. Lee expressed disappointment but acknowledged that Republicans "are not in a position right now where we have the wherewithal to pass it right now."
As a compromise, the agreement includes an immediate vote on the Husted measure, a bill sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) mandating photo identification for federal elections. Lee described it as "about half of what the SAVE America Act is" and a way to test support within the conference.
Democrats defeated Husted's voter ID proposal in March on a 53-47 vote, when it was offered as an amendment to the SAVE America Act. Senate Democrats have consistently blocked the full SAVE America Act.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has claimed Democratic support for voter ID, saying in a March 15 press call that their 2021 Freedom to Vote Act included such a provision. Democrats nonetheless voted against Husted's amendment in March.
Republicans also aim to vote soon on a continuing resolution to fund the government through Dec. 11 and confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.
Lee said he would not force a vote on an adjournment resolution, a move that would have complicated the party's effort to begin recess. He said the agreement to vote on the Husted measure resolved his objection.
