Sen. Josh Hawley slammed four Republican colleagues for voting against an amendment that would have added a voter ID requirement bill to a $70 billion budget reconciliation package.

The four Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – voted against a motion to waive procedural objections to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s amendment on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The amendment fell 12 votes short of the 60-vote threshold required to advance.

What Happened During the Vote

Senate Republicans attempted twice during a late-night vote-a-rama to attach the SAVE America Act to the broader immigration enforcement measure. Graham’s amendment included additional provisions beyond voter ID requirements, such as a ban on biological males competing in women’s sports.

Sen. Mike Lee’s separate amendment on the original version of the SAVE America Act secured 50 votes, with Collins switching her position to support it. Lee stated on X that with Vice President JD Vance available to cast a tie-breaking vote, the bill would have sufficient support to pass the Senate.

Hawley’s Response

“I guess it’s frustration,” Hawley told Fox News Digital about the failed amendment. “Listen, we’ve been doing this in Missouri for years. I mean, voters in my state put it in our constitution.”

Hawley emphasized that voter ID requirements have widespread public support and are already implemented across many states. “Voter ID is the most popular thing out there,” he said. “People want their elections to be safe, they want them to be fair. And to me, you can’t explain it to me, why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID.”

The Path Forward

Lee and other Republicans have urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to pursue a talking filibuster strategy to advance the measure through a simple majority vote. A previous floor effort to force debate on the SAVE America Act in March has not gained momentum in recent months.