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WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

The Senate Debate on the SAVE America Act and a Talking Filibuster

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

The Wall Street Journal

News, Society & Culture

4.22.8K Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Donald Trump presses to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, meaning many driver's licenses wouldn't be enough. As some Republicans demand a talking filibuster to enact the bill, Sen. John Thune says that isn't so easy in practice, and the GOP lacks the votes for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Access to affordable credit helps me pay my employees, but I don't really need it.

0:05.0

Infliction is killing me!

0:08.0

But who cares? Big retailers are making record profits!

0:11.0

That's why we support the Durban Marshall Credit Card Bill!

0:15.0

See? Banks and credit unions help small businesses make payroll.

0:18.0

This bill would cut the vital resources they need.

0:25.0

While increasing megastore profits, they deserve it. Don't they?

0:29.1

Tell Congress, stop the Durban Marshall money grab for corporate megastores.

0:31.2

Paid for it by the Electronic Payments Coalition.

0:38.8

From the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, this is Potomac Watch.

0:48.2

The Senate gears up for a showy debate over the Save America Act, as President Trump says he won't sign any other bills until it's passed.

0:56.9

What's in this legislation and what to make of the debate within the Republican Party over whether a talking filibuster is the way to give the president what he wants.

1:00.2

Welcome, I'm Kyle Peterson with the Wall Street Journal.

1:10.1

We're joined today by my colleagues on the journal's opinion pages, columnist Kim Strassel and Matt Cottenetti, who writes for the journal's new free expression newsletter.

1:11.3

President Trump has been amping up the pressure on Republicans to pass a bill called the Save America Act, writing earlier

1:17.2

this week on Truth Social that as president, I will not sign any other bills until this is

1:22.3

passed. At the same time, Trump keeps talking about provisions that so far aren't part of the legislation.

1:29.2

The version, as passed by the House, as a reminder, has two main sections.

1:33.4

First, it would impose national voter ID rules, both at the polls and for people voting absentee,

1:39.5

who would be asked to send in a copy of a photo identification.

1:47.1

And second, a requirement that people registering to vote present documentary proof of citizenship, which excludes most type of driver's licenses that

1:54.2

Americans have in their pockets, including new real IDs, which often do not include a citizenship

...

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