Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) has joined a growing group of Republican lawmakers pressing the Senate to postpone its scheduled August recess if the chamber fails to clear a trio of legislative priorities, including a controversial voter ID measure.
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Lankford laid out the GOP conference's agenda for the coming days: a continuing resolution to keep the government funded past the Sept. 30 fiscal year-end, confirmation of more than 70 of President Trump's judicial picks, and advancement of a $95 billion reconciliation package that includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act.
“It's a lot this week,” he told host Shannon Bream. “If we don't get it done this week, we'll keep going until we do get it done.”
The SAVE Act has been a persistent demand from Trump, who has publicly feuded with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) over the bill's prospects. Thune has repeatedly said Republicans lack the votes to overcome a filibuster, a position that has frustrated conservative activists. The clash over recess timing has become a flashpoint in the party.
Several GOP senators last week urged Thune to cancel the recess, which is set to begin at the end of the workday Friday and run through Sept. 14. Lankford acknowledged the value of the break for colleagues facing reelection, but insisted unfinished business takes precedence.
“There's not a plan to leave when it's unfinished,” the Oklahoma Republican said. “All those three things, they'll happen this week or we'll keep going to be able to get them done. So, the focus is to be able to get them done.”
Yet Lankford conceded the reconciliation package faces a lengthy procedural road. The House has cleared a key hurdle, but that is only the first of several steps. “You've got to get the first step done. Once the first step is done, then it takes several weeks to write it and then to be able to actually take the second step,” he explained.
When asked whether the Senate would actually stay in session through August, Lankford was noncommittal. “We'll see,” he said. “If we can get all of our work done at this point, then yes.”
The push to keep the Senate in session comes as conservatives intensify pressure on leadership to act on election integrity measures. However, some GOP figures, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have cast doubt on whether the SAVE Act can pass before the break. The budget standoff has further complicated the timeline.
