Week ahead: Senate SAVE and shutdown ‘show’ continues – Roll Call

## Summary
And President Donald Trump is further complicating a deal to reopen DHS by tying it to the GOP’s sweeping voter ID bill, legislation the Senate stayed in session to debate over the weekend and that could take up a majority of floor time again this week. “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump posted to Truth Social. It should be part of the homeland security bill.” “I’m requesting that the Republican senators do that immediately,” Trump continued. “You don’t have to take a fast vote. Thune last week said he couldn’t “see us taking a break if the government’s still shut down.” Senate appropriators of both parties held face-to-face meetings last week with White House “border czar” Tom Homan, the first of their kind since the department’s partial shutdown began a month ago. But within hours, Trump rejected it in a broadside and tied it to the SAVE America Act. “Put it all together, and also, let Leader Thune clearly identify those few ‘Republicans’ that are Voting against AMERICA,” Trump wrote. “They will never be elected again!” Meanwhile, the House will vote on a GOP-backed Homeland Security funding bill again this week, though that bill would have no realistic path in the Senate.

## Article Content
Spectators are seen on North Capitol Street during the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on Saturday. Lawmakers are eager to get out of town for their spring recess. (
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
)
By
Savannah Behrmann
and
Valerie Yurk
Posted March 23, 2026 at 3:33pm
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Lawmakers face a final sprint this week before a mini spring break recess — that is, if leadership lets them leave.
With new urgency to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the focus will be on off-the-floor negotiations to end the partial government shutdown.
And President Donald Trump is further complicating a deal to reopen DHS by tying it to the GOP’s sweeping voter ID bill, legislation the Senate stayed in session to debate over the weekend and that could take up a majority of floor time again this week.
“I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump
posted
to Truth Social.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has threatened to keep senators in Washington if they don’t get DHS funding settled by the week’s end; leaving town would guarantee this shutdown becomes the longest of a federal agency in history.
But coupling the SAVE America Act with a funding deal creates a Herculean problem for Thune, as no Democrats — and not even all Republicans — support the election security proposal, and he has not budged on overhauling the chamber’s rules or norms regarding a
filibuster
.
Trump also said on Monday at an event in Memphis, Tenn., “I’m tying homeland security to voter identifications, with picture and proof of citizenship in order to vote. …. It should be part of the homeland security bill.”
“I’m requesting that the Republican senators do that immediately,” Trump continued. “You don’t have to take a fast vote. Don’t worry about Easter, going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus, OK?”
Shutdown deadline
Appropriators have a growing fire under them as lawmakers’ scheduled Easter recess approaches in a few days. Thune last week
said
he couldn’t “see us taking a break if the government’s still shut down.”
Senate appropriators of both parties held face-to-face meetings last week with White House “border czar” Tom Homan, the first of their kind since the department’s partial shutdown began a month ago. But the following meeting on Saturday was canceled, and none took place on Sunday.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told C-SPAN’s Ceasefire, “I do not see any resolution right now” and the meetings “frankly could be emails.”
Kennedy, a member of the Appropriations Committee, joined with his fellow Democratic appropriator Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont. Both pointed to disagreements centered around Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I want to fund every single thing where we don’t have any disagreement,” Welch said. “The only place where we do have disagreement is ICE.”
On Sunday, Thune asked Trump to consider a plan that would allow Congress to pass full-year funding for the beleaguered department except for ICE. Republicans have been floating providing ICE funding through a second filibuster-proof reconciliation bill to enact more partisan policies, and without the immigration enforcement overhaul Democrats have been seeking.
But within hours, Trump rejected it in a broadside and tied it to the SAVE America Act.
“Put it all together, and also, let Leader Thune clearly identify those few ‘Republicans’ that are Voting against AMERICA,” Trump wrote. “They will never be elected again!”
Meanwhile, the House will vote on a GOP-backed Homeland Security
funding bill
again this week, though that bill would have no realistic path in the Senate.
Mullin’s moment
The Senate on Monday night is expected to vote to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as DHS head, meaning one of his first duties on the job will be to grapple with a department with its lights off.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Mullin highlighted that as a top priority: “We have to get DHS funded.”
“We have to set the partisan side down, and we have to realize that we’re putting our homeland and the peace of mind at risk for the American people,” he said. “Sometimes it’s political theater, sometimes it’s true differences, but what we do know is that we’re playing with fire.”
The Senate on Sunday voted 54-37 to invoke cloture on his nomination. Two Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, crossed party lines to support Mullin.
Several senators did not vote, like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who is expected to vote against Mullin’s confirmation after he didn’t support him last week out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a panel which he chairs.
War powers and Iran
As the Senate continues its debate of the SAVE America Act, Democrats have been forcing unsuccessful votes to limit Trump’s war powers in Iran, and there will likely be more attempts th

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- But coupling the SAVE America Act with a funding deal creates a Herculean problem for Thune, as no Democrats — and not even all Republicans — support the election security proposal, and he has not budged on overhauling the chamber’s rules or norms regarding a filibuster .
- During his confirmation hearing last week, Mullin highlighted that as a top priority: “We have to get DHS funded.” “We have to set the partisan side down, and we have to realize that we’re putting our homeland and the peace of mind at risk for the American people,” he said. “Sometimes it’s political theater, sometimes it’s true differences, but what we do know is that we’re playing with fire.” The Senate on Sunday voted 54-37 to invoke cloture on his nomination.
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### Implications
- With new urgency to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the focus will be on off-the-floor negotiations to end the partial government shutdown.
- And President Donald Trump is further complicating a deal to reopen DHS by tying it to the GOP’s sweeping voter ID bill, legislation the Senate stayed in session to debate over the weekend and that could take up a majority of floor time again this week. “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump posted to Truth Social.
- It should be part of the homeland security bill.” “I’m requesting that the Republican senators do that immediately,” Trump continued. “You don’t have to take a fast vote.
- John Kennedy, R-La., told C-SPAN’s Ceasefire, “I do not see any resolution right now” and the meetings “frankly could be emails.” Kennedy, a member of the Appropriations Committee, joined with his fellow Democratic appropriator Sen.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers week, trump, senate topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1378.