Utah Republican makes a desperate plea to Charlie Kirk to force through the high-stakes SAVE America Act!
With roughly 90 days remaining before voters head to the polls in the midterm elections, pressure is building within the Republican Party to advance more of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
Several Republican senators are now publicly urging Senate leadership to move more quickly, arguing that there is little time left to deliver on several key priorities before lawmakers leave Washington for the campaign season.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee has pushed his GOP colleagues for months to fall behind his plan to pass the SAVE America Act.
The MAGA megaphone has used his 700,000 followers to blast doomed proposals to push the bill’s voting restrictions through a daily barrage of social media posts.
Lee’s favored alternatives, like forcing the act through the budget process or returning to a talking filibuster, have not gained traction.
His efforts, which have picked up recently, are not gaining any traction in a caucus that is eager to turn its attention to other priorities ahead of its upcoming monthlong recess.
Even the senator’s recent appeal to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination in Utah had brought Republicans together last year, is not resonating among the frustrated GOP ranks.
“I suspect Charlie Kirk would want us to remain in session and either (1) pass the SAVE America Act through budget reconciliation, or (2) require filibustering senators to speak, and keep debating it until it passes,” Lee wrote in a Monday X post.
Senate Republicans remain unconvinced. Majority Leader John Thune has insisted the bill lacks support in the chamber and rejected Lee’s approaches to overcoming Democratic obstruction.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that advocates of President Trump’s strict voting bill should “turn our fire on the Democrats.”
Thune is facing mounting pressure from Trump to pass the legislation known as the SAVE America Act.
Trump in July demanded the Senate Majority Leader cancel the chamber’s upcoming August break until senators pass a strict proof-of-citizenship voting bill, even as Republicans lack the votes to advance it.
On the other hand, Thune said passing the measure was his top priority going into the August recess.
“It seems to me sometimes I’m the only one who can count to 50 in this town. But we don’t have the votes to get rid of the filibuster, and we aren’t flipping 10 Democrats to vote for the SAVE America Act,” Thune said.
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to move more aggressively in advancing President Trump’s agenda, saying he believes Republicans should stop waiting for Democratic cooperation and begin bringing major legislation to the Senate floor.
Speaking on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Kennedy praised Thune personally but argued the Senate leader has been too cautious.
“Look, I mean no disrespect. I love John Thune. He’s my leader. He’s got a big brain. He’s better looking than me, but I think he’s just being too cautious,” Kennedy said.
Republicans have repeatedly attempted to bring the bill up for consideration in the Senate, but Democrats have blocked those efforts.
Kennedy argued the proposal is important for maintaining confidence in federal elections.
“In my opinion, for both sides to have credibility in our elections, we need to do two things and only two things,” Kennedy said.
He said voters should prove they are eligible before registering and that election results should generally be known on Election Day or shortly afterward.
“I think we can pass it … but we’re not going to know if we don’t try,” Kennedy added.
She's Been Arrested — Secretary of State Marco Rubio Gives The Order To Go as ICE Arrests Sister of Top Cuban Regime...
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Orders ICE Arrest of Adys Lastres Morera, Sister of Sanctioned Cuban Regime Official, Citing National Security Threat
New York City, New York — Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested Adys Lastres Morera in Florida. She is the sister of Ania Guillermina Lastres, a high-ranking official in Cuba’s communist regime.
Lastres Morera was taken into ICE custody and will remain detained pending deportation proceedings. Rubio personally revoked her lawful permanent resident status, determining that her presence in the United States posed a threat to American foreign policy interests.
She entered the country as a lawful permanent resident on January 13, 2023, during the Biden administration.
Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, stated that family members of repressive regimes and other adversaries will no longer receive a free pass to live in the United States.
“For far too long, the family members of terrorist organizations, repressive anti-American regimes, and other bad actors who would threaten the national security of the United States have been given a free pass to enjoy the privileges of living in the United States,” he said in a statement.
“Past Administrations have permitted the families of Cuban military elites, Iranian terrorists, and other reprehensible organizations to enjoy lavish lifestyles in our country funded by stolen blood-money, while the people they repress at home suffer in increasingly dire circumstances.”
“No longer. Under President Trump, we are removing from our country the family members of IRGC terrorists and Cuban regime elites.”
“Let me be very clear: if you threaten the national security of the United States, there will be nowhere on this earth — much less in our country — that you and your cronies can live lavishly.”
“We will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
On X, Rubio added that Lastres Morera had been managing real estate assets in Florida while aiding Cuba’s regime.
“Adys Lastres Morera is the sister of the Executive President of GAESA, the Cuban military-controlled financial conglomerate that steals millions in aid for the Cuban people at the behest of the regime.”
“Morera was managing real estate assets and living in Florida, while also aiding Havana’s communist regime, until I terminated her permanent resident status.”
“I am pleased to announce that today, she was arrested and is now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
“There will be nowhere on this Earth – much less in our country – where foreign nationals who threaten our national security can live lavishly.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations confirmed that her presence posed potential serious adverse foreign policy consequences.
“Adys Lastres Morera’s presence in the United States has potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for our nation, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has determined that she is removable under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” said HSI acting Executive Associate Director John Condon.
“Allowing Lastres Morera to remain in the country would send a signal that Cuban regime-affiliated networks could continue to access the U.S.’s financial, educational and social institutions — but that is not the case.”
“HSI will continue to investigate those with ties to our nation’s adversaries and take appropriate actions to neutralize threats against our homeland.”
Ania Guillermina Lastres serves as president of Grupo de Administración Empresarial (GAESA), the military-controlled conglomerate that dominates approximately 70 percent of Cuba’s economy. The entity is accused of controlling tourism, remittances, and the Cuban doctor program, while holding up to $20 billion in illicit overseas funds.
The arrest reflects the Trump administration’s broader policy of tightening immigration enforcement against individuals linked to adversarial foreign governments.
