WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday called on the U.S. Senate to cancel its five-week August break, keeping lawmakers in session to advance several of his priorities, despite not having the votes.

Trump wrote in a social media post that he wanted Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to keep the chamber open, preventing vulnerable Republicans facing reelection from the campaign trail, to pass a voter identification bill, among other measures. 

“John Thune should not allow the United States  Senate to ‘leave town’ until it passes The Save America Act or, far better still, TERMINATES THE FILIBUSTER, where Republicans can then quickly pass everything they ever dreamed of, including a full and deep throated SAVE AMERICA ACT, the Budget, and the ever looming Debt Ceiling disaster, 1929!” Trump wrote. “The Dumocrats will do it on day one, and can’t believe how lucky they got with this Senate leadership. Remember, stupidity always brings LOSING & DEATH!”

Trump followed up with another post about 15 minutes later, writing that whichever political party eliminates the rule that requires at least 60 senators vote to limit debate, known as the legislative filibuster, will hold an advantage in the Senate. 

“Whichever Party Terminates the Filibuster FIRST will be the Party that survives and thrives,” Trump wrote. “If the Dumocrats win this race, however, America will rapidly become nothing more than a Third World Nation!”

SAVE America Act

Thune has said repeatedly that there aren’t enough votes to remove the filibuster or to advance the SAVE America Act, which would require people provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and show a photo ID before casting a ballot, among other provisions. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a social media post that there was no path for Republicans’ voter ID bill to become law. 

“It’s a new week in Washington, but one thing remains the same: The SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the United States Senate,” Schumer wrote. “It will not pass—not now, not ever.”

The Senate is set to leave for its recess on Aug. 6 and return on Sept. 14. The House left on July 23 and will return on Aug. 31 for four days before taking a week-long break. Then both chambers will be in session for three weeks before breaking for five weeks in October and early November. 

Trump said aboard Air Force One later in the day that he hasn’t considered trying to have Senate Republicans oust Thune as their leader and replace him with someone else. 

“I haven’t even thought of it,” he said. 

GOP senators

Trump’s comments followed calls from a few Republican senators over the weekend to keep the chamber in session until certain bills make it to the president’s desk.

“.@LeaderJohnThune, I hereby object to any effort to put the Senate into recess in August—at least until such time as the Senate has passed the SAVE America Act—and hereby request a roll call vote,” Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee wrote on Sunday. “Do not assume you have my consent. You do not.”

Lee’s post, however, isn’t actually an objection under Senate procedure. In order to do that, he’ll need to stand on the floor and object when Thune or another Republican asks for “unanimous consent” to break for the August recess. 

Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody wrote she believes “there are things we need to get done for the American People.” 

“The Senate needs to stay in session until we can get the SAVE America Act to the floor and passed,” she wrote. 

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott wrote he supports efforts to try to keep the Senate in session. 

“I will vote to stay in session unless we have passed the SAVE America Act,” Scott wrote. “The American people expect us to deliver. They deserve secure elections.”

WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. House Budget Committee approved their budget resolution Thursday, marking one small step forward in the complicated process that could allow the party to enact a third party-line bill. 

The 20-14 vote followed hours of debate over amendments from Democrats that sought to roll back pieces of the earlier Republican packages and change how the upcoming process would work. None of the Democratic changes were approved. 

Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, Texas Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar and Virgin Islands Democratic Delegate Stacey Plaskett didn’t vote. 

House Republican leaders are likely to bring the budget resolution to the floor next week before that chamber leaves for its five-week August recess, now expected July 23. 

The Senate will be in session for an additional two weeks after that before beginning its summer break, though it isn’t clear if GOP leadership in that chamber will bring the budget measure up for a vote. 

Process to provide funds for defense, farms

Both chambers of Congress must adopt a budget resolution in order to unlock the budget reconciliation process that will allow them to move another bill without Democratic support. 

House Republicans said during committee debate they hope another package would provide up to $95 billion. That currently unreleased measure would bolster aid to farmers, provide more funding to the Defense Department and implement pieces of a voter identification bill they’ve dubbed the SAVE America Act. 

“We are going to use reconciliation to make a run at doing what we think will save this country for our children’s future and for the remainder of this century,” Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, said. “I can’t think of a more important thing to work on.”

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle, ranking member on the committee, criticized Republicans for not focusing on how to make life more affordable for everyday Americans. 

“Over the last 18 months, we have seen where Republicans’ priorities are: trillions of dollars in tax cuts for billionaires, tens of billions of dollars for war and absolutely nothing for the American people,” Boyle said. 

Democratic changes rebuffed

Democrats offered more than a dozen amendments during debate, including one from Vermont Rep. Becca Balint that would have removed the instructions for the Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Republicans’ budget resolution, once approved by both chambers, would allow the Armed Services Committee to spend up to $60 billion and the Intelligence panel to spend up to $13 billion. 

“My colleagues use the deficit as a pretext to excuse increasing hunger and deepening poverty in this country,” Balint said. “They preach fiscal responsibility, and yet, when it comes to approving tens of billions of dollars in additional Pentagon spending, they are a rubber stamp.”

Michigan Republican Rep. Jack Bergman spoke against the proposal, saying the additional defense funding “is necessary to support our troops and supply them with the munitions and anything else they need to fight, win and return home safely.”

In addition to providing instructions for more defense spending, the budget resolution would allow the Agriculture Committee to write a bill that would provide up to $12 billion in additional aid to farmers. 

The Administration Committee would be able to spend up to $10 billion, likely to create a grant program for states that institute voter identification requirements.