The GOP-controlled Senate managed somewhat of a victory for the country on Monday, though it might turn out to be short-lived.
As the SAVE America Act continues to languish, senators found time to ensure that they didn’t have to answer hard questions about a shutdown ahead of the midterms.
The Senate overwhelmingly advanced a stopgap spending bill intended to prevent a government shutdown ahead of this fall’s midterm elections.
Lawmakers voted 89-4 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed, clearing the first major procedural hurdle for the continuing resolution.
The strong bipartisan vote reflected broad support for avoiding another funding lapse after years of contentious budget battles and government shutdowns.
The measure also has the backing of both Republican and Democratic leaders on the Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as Senate leadership.
The legislation would keep the federal government funded at roughly current levels through Dec. 11.
It also includes a provision temporarily blocking a Trump administration proposal that would give political appointees final authority over scientific grant decisions, a priority for Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, and other lawmakers who opposed the policy.
Senate leaders hope to pass the stopgap spending measure before lawmakers begin their monthlong August recess at the end of the week, a timeline that would require bipartisan agreement to expedite several procedural steps.
If the Senate approves the bill, it will move to the House of Representatives when lawmakers return in September.
The House previously passed its own continuing resolution last month, but that version would fund the government for a shorter period and does not include several provisions added by the Senate.
If enacted, the continuing resolution would provide Congress with additional time to negotiate full-year appropriations bills for fiscal year 2027, an effort that has proven difficult amid ongoing budget negotiations.
Congressional appropriators remain at an impasse over overall discretionary spending levels for fiscal year 2027.
In the Senate, lawmakers have yet to bring any of the 12 annual appropriations bills to the floor for final consideration.
The House has passed three of its 12 appropriations measures, but those bills are expected to encounter resistance in the Senate, where Democrats have raised objections to several of their provisions, The Hill reported.
🚨 JUST IN: The US Senate 89-4 has ADVANCED legislation blocking a government shutdown through the 2026 midterms, into December
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 3, 2026
The Senate takes summer vacation DAYS from now.
Vote on the SAVE AMERICA ACT! pic.twitter.com/D4EOBy7qgJ
Passing an annual budget is one of Congress’ core constitutional functions.
However, the last time Congress passed an annual budget on time was 1996 for the 1997 budget year, at the end of then-President Bill Clinton’s first term.
After the 2024 elections, Republicans managed to build a decent majority in the Senate, though it was still far short of the 60-vote filibuster threshhold.
As such, Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has had difficulty in getting much of what Republican and even Democrat voters want passed, including the very popular SAVE America Act.
The bill contains a number of election security and integrity provisions like requiring proof of citizenship and a government-issued ID to vote, which are supported by more than 80 percent of the country, including Republicans and Democrats.
It’s been a priority of President Trump’s for a year.
Now, finally, as the midterm election cycle approaches, the measure could be on the precipice of passage, though it may take Vice President JD Vance’s tiebreaking vote to make it happen.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Senate Republicans are working through the weekend to restructure the SAVE America Act in an effort to advance the legislation through the budget reconciliation process, allowing it to pass with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes typically required to overcome a filibuster.
Appearing on Newsmax’s “Saturday Agenda,” Hoeven said the House-passed budget resolution provides the Senate with a procedural path to bypass the filibuster, provided the bill’s voter identification provisions comply with Senate reconciliation rules and survive review by the Senate parliamentarian.
“We’re in session this week, and we’re working on it,” he said.
“The key is that we get that passed. We can do that with 51 votes, which is why we’re working so hard to do it,” he added.