GOP Senator Proposes Filibuster Vote

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) on Thursday proposed a Senate vote to eliminate the legislative filibuster, amid ongoing debate over the partisan SAVE America Act elections bill. This suggestion follows Republican efforts to bypass the 60-vote threshold for the bill, which is scheduled for Senate consideration next week. Johnson's proposal aims to put senators on record regarding their stance on the filibuster, despite acknowledging that such a vote would likely fail to garner the necessary support.

The SAVE America Act, a House-passed elections bill, requires 51 votes to be taken up by the Senate. However, its ultimate passage will necessitate 60 votes, a threshold Democrats are expected to block. The bill includes provisions such as barring transgender women from women's sports, prohibiting gender-affirming surgery for children, and potentially imposing a near-universal ban on mail-in voting. Earlier Republican attempts to employ a "talking filibuster" to advance the legislation without a formal rules change have encountered internal party resistance due to concerns about legislative calendar disruption.

Separately, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stated on Thursday that he aims to advance legislation imposing new online protections for children within the next six weeks. This follows the Senate's unanimous passage of the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) earlier this month. Cruz indicated plans to combine COPPA 2.0 with other proposals, including KOSA and KOSMA, to establish new legal responsibilities for technology companies regarding child safety and privacy online.