Republicans hope to cast Democrats as party of election fraud amid voter ID, airport security funding fight

Record ID: 2368031

  • Title: Republicans hope to cast Democrats as party of election fraud amid voter ID, airport security funding fight
  • Date: 21st March 2026
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 21, 2026) (SENATE TV) WIDE OF SENATE IN SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS, REP-SOUTH DAKOTA, SAYING:  "Voting in elections is a constitutional right, but it's also a privilege. We live in the greatest country in the world, partially because of our free and fair elections to choose our leaders. We compromise these value
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: SAVE Act Senate election security
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES 
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES 
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Lawmaking,North America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001626421032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The U.S. Senate convened for a rare Saturday (March 21) session, as Republicans and Democrats clashed over voter ID proposals and stalled Homeland Security funding.
    With Republicans facing a tough midterm election campaign, they hoped to turn the Senate's likely rejection of President Donald Trump's voter-ID bill into a liability for Democrats that analysts say could be used to bolster claims of voter fraud in the November balloting.
    The SAVE America Act, a Trump-endorsed bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship in registering to vote and a photo ID for casting ballots, is unlikely to become law ahead of the midterms because Republicans lack the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member Senate.
    With Democrats poised to block the legislation, Trump's Republican allies have begun a marathon floor debate to highlight that Democrats oppose photo IDs in voting, an idea that is broadly popular with the public across the political spectrum, according to polls.
    Democrats pushed back, accusing Republicans of using the bill to undermine future elections and set the stage for partisan claims of fraud.
    The debate grew sharper as GOP leaders also criticized Democrats over a month-long lapse in Homeland Security funding, which has left thousands of TSA workers unpaid.
    Democratic leaders countered by accusing Republicans of tying TSA pay to broader immigration demands, saying airports and workers were being used as political leverage.
    The Senate later rejected a Democratic motion to pay TSA workers without linking it to the Save America Act.
    The chamber remained divided as debate continued into the evening.
    (Production: Arlene Eiras) 
  • Copyright Holder: SENATE TV (USA)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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