Posted originally on CTH on February 26, 2026 | Sundance

Watch the short statement from John Thune about the current DHS govt shutdown overlaid against the base demand for the Senate to vote on the SAVE Act.

In typical Republican fashion, it sounds like Leader Thune is leveraging the process of voting on the SAVE act as a negotiating tool to reopen government.  ie. If Democrats will give on the DHS funding (open govt), then in sounds like… in exchange, Thune will just throw the SAVE act on the floor without the talking filibuster. WATCH:

I hope I’m wrong, but this approach would be McConnell-esque. Meaning, typical.  Thune is looking for a way to avoid the SAVE act presented as a talking filibuster.