Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is leading the Senate effort to amend the SAVE America Act to include a suite of ’80-20 issue policies’ as pressure mounts on the upper chamber for more legislative wins. Under immense pressure from President Donald Trump and Republican voters, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has brought the SAVE America Act to the floor for an extended debate period. Schmitt is leading the effort to insert a number of policies—including a ban on transgender surgeries for minors—Trump wants made law into the SAVE America Act, a piece of election integrity legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote and institute nationwide voter ID. “Protecting our children from destructive, irreversible gender mutilation surgeries is a priority for the overwhelming majority of Americans,” Schmitt told The Daily Signal. “President Trump has been clear that this provision to save American children must be included in the SAVE America Act.” In the lead up to the ongoing debate on the SAVE America Act in the Senate, the president has not only pushed for adding a number of conservative policies but for the Senate to pass the legislation using the talking filibuster, a procedural process that would circumvent the 60 vote cloture rule. In essence, Republicans are simply dragging out the normal process for considering a bill as they advance the SAVE America Act.‘I think we can win the argument’ on voter ID, @berniemoreno told me. ‘Make the Democrats go on the floor.’https://t.co/fo8nvbTLhD— George Caldwell (@GCaldwell_news) March 17, 2026 Schmitt’s substitute amendment to the SAVE America Act addresses the president’s desire to go big and be bold. While the current debate on the Senate floor is not a commitment to pass the SAVE America Act with the talking filibuster, it could push the Senate towards that process and get Democrats on record voting against 80-20 issues such as requiring voter ID, proof of citizenship for voter registration, securing mail-in ballots, banning men from women’s sports, and outlawing the transgender mutilation of children. “It would be a suicidal move for us as Senate Republicans, or Republicans in general, if we don’t put everything we’ve got into this,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told reporters Wednesday. He continued, saying he hopes this debate will last “many weeks if necessary.” ?@BasedMikeLee on the SAVE America Act: “It would be a suicidal move for us as Senate Republicans, or Republicans in general, if we don't put everything we've got into this.”@DailySignal pic.twitter.com/86tVuaN53d— Virginia Grace McKinnon (@virginiagmck) March 18, 2026 “We look forward to putting the Democrats on record and showing just the lack of common sense they apply to so many of these issues that the American people agree with us,” Thune told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “It is a privilege to lead this fight,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., one of the Senate’s top advocates for banning transgender surgeries for minors, told The Daily Signal. “My amendment would ban so-called ‘gender-affirming care’ for minors nationwide to ensure protections for children are enshrined into law, and I am calling on every single Senator to support this common-sense effort,” Blackburn said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., supports the transgender surgeries ban and is also seeking to ban men from women’s sports. His office confirmed they expect full support on this amendment from Tuberville’s Republican colleagues. We are in the fight of a lifetime.America’s 250th year is not just a celebration. It is a test—of whether we still have the courage to defend the republic we inherited, and whether we still have the will to fight for its future.The Senate must pass the SAVE America Act. pic.twitter.com/JqND7UYEE8— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) March 18, 2026 Schmitt has introduced these as a single amendment, but they will also likely be voted on separately. The debate is expected to last 7-10 days, including late nights of debate, possibly even Saturday in session.   “I am looking forward to a vigorous, long, and spirited conversation on the floor of the United States Senate on these important issues,” Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday, kicking off the extended SAVE America Act debate. “Can you imagine allowing a child not yet out of middle school to receive a medical procedure that will result in permanent mutilation of part of her body?” Thune asked on the Senate floor.   ? JUST IN: Senate Majority Leader John Thune throws full support behind Trump’s proposal to ban gender procedures for minors as part of the SAVE America Act."The SAVE America Act extends protections to these procedures for all children."pic.twitter.com/eTZtY32Xf8— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) March 17, 2026 “The SAVE America Act would extend protection from these procedures to all children, whatever state they live in,” the Leader continued.  The SAVE America Act has already passed the House. As have bills that ban men in women’s sports and ban transgender surgeries for minors. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 passed in the House in Jan 2025 by 218-206 with two Democrats breaking party lines to vote. The Protect Children’s Innocence Act passed in the House in Dec 2025 by 216-211 with three Democrats voting yea and four Republicans voting nay. Given how the House voted, it’s possible some of these votes in the Senate are bipartisan. The post Schmitt Leads Charge to Pack SAVE America Act With Conservative Wins appeared first on The Daily Signal.