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The standoff escalated as lawmakers attempted to attach the SAVE Act to must pass government funding legislation. That effort would have kept the government open while forcing the Senate to confront voter ID. Instead, leadership split off Department of Homeland Security funding into a short term extension, buying two weeks to negotiate immigration enforcement while clearing the path for a separate SAVE Act vote.
Behind the scenes, Luna confirmed she had been in direct talks with the White House and Senate leadership, including Donald Trump. By Monday night, a deal had been reached.
“POTUS wants the SAVE America Act passed! Voter ID is number one,” Luna announced in an X post, adding that she had just left the White House.
She did not mince words about the opposition.
“Today, Schumer said he wants mass amnesty for all illegals and to immediately stop all ICE efforts,” she added. “After speaking with many senators, as well as directly with POTUS, the pathway forward is through the standing filibuster. This would effectively keep the government open while allowing Republican senators to break through the ‘zombie’ filibuster and put the SAVE America Act up for a vote on the Senate floor.
Luna explained that the standing filibuster is an older Senate tradition that requires senators who oppose a bill to physically hold the floor and continue debating. Unlike the modern version, it does not allow lawmakers to quietly block legislation from the sidelines.
While rarely used today, the standing filibuster remains fully legal under Senate rules. Its revival would flip the burden back onto obstructionists and force Democrats to publicly defend blocking voter ID in real time.
Luna acknowledged the tactic is unconventional but said the moment demands it.
She praised Thune for being willing to consider the move, saying he will “go down in history” if meaningful voter ID reform is finally enacted.
The SAVE Act itself is straightforward. It amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote in federal elections. States would be required to verify citizenship in person and would be prohibited from registering voters without proper documentation.
The bill also instructs states to create alternative verification pathways for individuals who lack standard documents and strengthens voter roll maintenance to remove noncitizens from registration lists.
If signed into law, the measure would establish a national standard for citizenship verification in federal elections. States would be required to update registration systems immediately, without receiving additional federal funding. That could force changes to online registration, mail in applications, and even drive through voter registration models used in some jurisdictions.
Republicans argue that the bill is a commonsense safeguard, not a barrier to lawful voters. Democrats argue the opposite, which is why the fight has become so intense.
Under the standing filibuster, Senate Republicans would only need 51 votes to pass the bill, including a potential tiebreaker from the vice president. That prospect has clearly rattled Democratic leadership, which has grown comfortable hiding behind procedural paralysis.
For the first time in years, voter ID may actually get an up or down vote in the Senate. If Republicans follow through, the era of the “zombie filibuster” could finally be coming to an end.
