Senate ditches town early for two-week recess as SAVE America Act remains on ice

by Nicole Silverio

The Senate left early for their two-week recess Wednesday without a single senator objecting or blocking the adjournment.

The senators left just one day after a heated lunch with President Donald Trump, who confronted them over the passage of a concurrent war powers resolution while the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act languished. Any senator could have objected or blocked the adjournment, though no one did.

Trump pressured senators to pass the SAVE America Act, though Republican leadership insisted they did not have the votes. Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama suggested cancelling the recess to pass the legislation.

“We should be doing everything we can to pass the SAVE America Act. Cancel recess. Nuke the filibuster. WHATEVER IT TAKES,” Tuberville said on X.

“Whatever it takes. That’s what we need,” Lee replied.

Whatever it takes

That’s what we need https://t.co/VGaRHjEXbD

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) June 23, 2026

The SAVE America Act would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship and show identification before voting.

The offices of Lee, Tuberville, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.

During the lunch, Trump sparred with Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy over the Iran war and confronted Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick over his absence during the passage of the war powers resolution. Cassidy and Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul reversed their votes on a war powers resolution introduced by Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine during a Wednesday vote, with Cassidy voting “no” and Paul voting “present.”

Trump says they had a “great meeting” and made clear there were some senators he did not like.

He did not name names. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/49VhGjBE5E

— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) June 24, 2026

Trump cancelled the signing of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Wednesday because the Senate did not pass the SAVE America Act. Some House Republicans, including Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, threatened to oppose all floor action until the SAVE America Act was passed.

House Speaker Mike Johnson planned to meet with Trump Thursday to diffuse the tension, a source familiar told the DCNF.

The 119th Congress took roughly 16 breaks from Capitol Hill despite a record-long shutdown and a war with Iran.

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