Republican senators introduced legislation to unfreeze Russian assets for Ukraine while simultaneously declaring they don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act — a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote that polls show 75% of Trump voters support.
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and John Cornyn of Texas unveiled the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABER) Act on Monday. The bill would allow Ukraine to purchase military equipment using assets confiscated from Russia’s central bank.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy told reporters the SAVE Act — which would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and show voter ID at the ballot box — lacks the necessary 60 votes to pass.
“I’m a co-sponsor, but it doesn’t have the votes, and so it’s time to talk about something else.”
Grassley promoted the Ukraine legislation on X Tuesday, writing: “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.”
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 SABER Act drew bipartisan backing — Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island signed on as cosponsors, along with Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee called out the double standard. Lee pointed out that Section 702 of FISA — which allows warrantless spying on Americans — also “doesn’t have the votes,” yet leadership keeps pushing it.
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 both voted for a $95 billion emergency spending package to fund Ukraine in February 2024. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell championed Ukraine aid and voted against advancing the SAVE Act.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina joined McConnell in blocking the SAVE Act from being added to the Secure America Act — an immigration enforcement package President Donald Trump signed into law on June 10.
Trump threatened in a June 17 Truth Social post to oppose reauthorizing FISA Section 702 if the SAVE America Act wasn’t attached to it.
Tillis told reporters 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. A Politico poll from May 7 found 75% of Trump voters and 52% of Americans overall support requiring proof of citizenship before voting.
Trump pressured Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. Thune resisted, warning that if Republicans kill the filibuster and Democrats later win 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.”
