As SAVE Act Dies On The Vine, Republicans Unveil Bill To Help Ukraine
Politics
As SAVE Act Dies On The Vine, Republicans Unveil Bill To Help Ukraine
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Nicole Silverio
Capitol Hill Reporter
June 23, 2026
3:03 PM ET
June 23, 2026 3:03 PM ET
Nicole Silverio
Capitol Hill Reporter
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Republican senators unveiled legislation Monday to unfreeze Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefit, while lawmakers continued to say they lacked the necessary 60 votes to pass the SAVE America Act.
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and John Cornyn of Texas introduced the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABER) Act to allow Ukraine to purchase military equipment using assets confiscated from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, many Republican senators argued they didn’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and provide voter identification at the ballot box.
“I’m cosponsoring a new bill 2 help Ukraine as they continue 2 defend against attacks from Putin. Importantly this support comes at NO COST 2 taxpayers,” Grassley said Tuesday.
I’m cosponsoring a new bill 2 help Ukraine as they continue 2 defend against attacks from Putin Importantly this support comes at NO COST 2 taxpayers
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 23, 2026
The legislation was cosponsored by Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
Republican South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson sponsored the bill in the House.
Grassley’s office did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. (RELATED: Senate GOP Swing Comes Out In Support Of SAVE Act)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated the SAVE Act lacked the votes to pass. Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy made the same argument to reporters Monday, arguing it is “time to talk about something else.”
“I’m a co-sponsor, but it doesn’t have the votes, and so it’s time to talk about something else,” Cassidy said.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee argued that Cassidy’s statement could apply to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows the government to spy on Americans’ data without a warrant.
So … when something “doesn’t have the votes” we’re supposed to give up on it, but only if it’s a popular bill like the SAVE America Act?
Meanwhile, a less-popular bill like FISA 702 reauthorization—which also “doesn’t have the votes”—is something we should keep trying to pass. https://t.co/bMBLCGyTrd
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) June 23, 2026
Thune and Cassidy voted for other Ukraine aid packages, including a $95 billion emergency spending bill to fund Ukraine in February 2024. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell championed support for Ukraine and voted against advancing the SAVE America Act, though McConnell was slated to miss votes due to a medical issue.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina joined McConnell in voting against adding the measure to the Secure America Act, an immigration enforcement funding package that President Donald Trump signed into law on June 10. Trump threatened in a June 17 Truth Social post to oppose reauthorizing Section 702 if the SAVE America Act was not attached to it.
Collins, Murkowski and Tillis were among the Republican senators who voted in favor of the $95 billion spending package. Collins expressed support for the SAVE America Act in February, though she opposed eliminating the filibuster to pass it.
Tillis said Tuesday that senators were “wasting time” on the SAVE Act since it is “going nowhere.”
The SAVE America Act passed the House on April 10 in a 220 to 208 vote. Trump pressured Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, though Thune argued against eliminating it.
“If we get rid of the filibuster and the Democrats get the majority, you’ll add Puerto Rico and DC as states, you will expand and pack the Supreme Court, you will federalize our elections, you will have abortion on demand, you will have trillions of dollars in new taxes, and we will own that,” Thune told reporters Thursday.
Eighteen House Republicans voted with Democrats on June 5 to send more aid to Ukraine and provide weapons from Pentagon stockpiles, even though Speaker Mike Johnson urged his colleagues to vote against the legislation. These congressmen included Reps. Mike Lawler of New York, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Glenn Thompson of Ohio.
A Politico poll from May 7 found 75% of Trump voters and 52% of Americans overall support requiring proof of citizenship before voting.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
