Senate Republicans are working to develop a strategy for their five-week August recess that satisfies President Donald Trump’s demand to remain in Washington until a reconciliation blueprint and parts of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act are passed. Both legislative efforts face significant hurdles.

Frustration was evident among GOP senators following a Tuesday, August 4th, lunch meeting due to the absence of a clear plan to conclude the extended July work period.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) emphasized that the Senate’s top priorities include passing a continuing resolution to fund the government through December and confirming Todd Blanche as attorney general. Blanche’s nomination was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.

“We’re juggling a lot of balls right now, but there are some things we intend to get done this week, and the first is to ensure we get about 75 of the president’s nominations through, en bloc,” Thune said after meeting with GOP colleagues.

Thune also highlighted the importance of funding the government, noting the Senate voted 89-4 on Monday evening to advance the continuing resolution. “It’s important in my view that we can demonstrate to the American people that we can do job one,” he said.

In June, Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican to oppose the second budget reconciliation package, which provided funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, citing concerns that the three-and-a-half-year funding term undermined the appropriations process.

Separately, a senator criticized an act related to Donald Trump, stating, “No one should be supporting an act that permits Donald Trump to apparently take bribes out in public to make $1.4 billion on a crypto venture that costs the people who follow him more than $3 billion.”

Sources