{"id":2625940,"date":"2026-07-07T08:04:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T12:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-went-on-vacation-rather-than-pass-the-save-act-extend-planned-parenthood-defunding\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T08:04:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T12:04:46","slug":"congress-went-on-vacation-rather-than-pass-the-save-act-extend-planned-parenthood-defunding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-went-on-vacation-rather-than-pass-the-save-act-extend-planned-parenthood-defunding\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress Goes On Vacation, Neglecting SAVE Act, PP Defunding"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcongress-went-on-vacation-rather-than-pass-the-save-act-extend-planned-parenthood-defunding%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2625940&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Critical election security legislation in the U.S. remains stalled while Congress is on summer recess, with Republicans notably absent from action on key bills like the SAVE America Act, despite widespread public support. President Trump emphasizes the importance of passing election integrity measures, but Senate Republicans show resistance, citing concerns over funding and implementation issues. Efforts to advance the legislation through budget reconciliation face opposition and procedural obstacles,highlighting intra-party divisions that could harm GOP prospects in upcoming elections. Simultaneously occurring, Republicans failed to extend a longstanding ban on federal funding for Planned Parenthood, risking increased taxpayer support to the abortion provider-an issue that could energize conservative voters.Congressional inaction and legislative setbacks-particularly among Republicans-are seen as detrimental to election security, pro-life initiatives, and party unity ahead of critical midterm elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>While Congress enjoys an undeserved Fourth of July break, critical election security legislation backed by the vast majority of Americans remains on life support. <\/p>\n<p>Noodle-spined Republicans checked out without moving on the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/06\/30\/erroneous-scotus-ruling-on-election-day-ballots-screams-for-save-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act<\/a> and did nothing to stop hundreds of millions of dollars of Medicaid money from flowing back to the nation\u2019s largest peddler of abortions. <\/p>\n<p>A lack of action on those two fronts alone could be enough to depress conservative turnout in November\u2019s elections, and could prove costly to the GOP\u2019s hopes of holding power in Congress. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018The Senate Sucks\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe want to keep America great, and we will do so by approving the Save America Act,\u201d President Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/trump-july-4-speech-washington-dc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> during his storm-delayed Independence Day speech. \u201cYou won\u2019t have cheating on the elections anymore, it\u2019s very simple.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s confidence on passage seems misplaced given a severe spine shortage in congress. <\/p>\n<p>The Republican-controlled Senate in particular just can\u2019t be bothered with protecting U.S. elections. Democrats want nothing to do with legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to vote in U.S. elections. And they don\u2019t want limits on mail-in ballots or an end to extended ballot counting. Several Senate Republicans don\u2019t want to waste their precious time fighting for the popular election integrity bill. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cEighty percent of the American people want the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailysignal.com\/2026\/02\/11\/house-passes-save-america-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SAVE America Act<\/a> to pass. Not 80 percent of Republicans \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/releases\/2026\/03\/another-new-poll-shows-massive-support-for-save-america-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80 percent of the American people<\/a>. And the only organization that refuses to act is the United States Senate,\u201d Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6gHmUZbm-To\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> reporters late last week at the Capitol as a stalled House broke early for the extended recess. \u201cWhat is happening in the U.S. Senate is laziness. And, quite frankly, it\u2019s disgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A clearly frustrated Donalds said what a lot of Americans are thinking: \u201cThe Senate sucks.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Derailing the Trump Agenda\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Trump has been crystal clear: He want Republicans to find a way \u2014 any way \u2014 to move the legislation to his desk. He sent a powerful reminder before the Fourth of July holiday when he <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/06\/25\/senate-gop-should-know-better-than-to-ignore-trumps-political-instincts-on-the-save-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">refused to sign<\/a> a bipartisan \u201chousing affordability\u201d bill that he called a \u201cbig yawn.\u201d Trump has threatened to not sign the bill, insisting Congress first focus on his no. 1 domestic priority: bringing confidence back to federal elections. <\/p>\n<p>Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday said the House will pass another version of the SAVE America Act \u2014 one that could help the shiftless Senate get around the Democrats\u2019 filibuster wall. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe president has that as a top priority, and so do I,\u201d the Louisiana Republican told <em>Fox News Sunday<\/em>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/people\/shannon-bream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shannon Bream<\/a> in an interview. \u201cWe passed it three times in the House. We\u2019re going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill, and I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally, to the president\u2019s desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Senate RINOs have previously blocked efforts to attach the SAVE Act to reconciliation bills, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/06\/30\/erroneous-scotus-ruling-on-election-day-ballots-screams-for-save-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">repeatedly whined<\/a> that he doesn\u2019t have enough Republican votes to force Democrats\u2019 hands through a \u201ctalking filibuster.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Mega RINO Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., again poo-poohed Johnson\u2019s reconciliation plan on Monday. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s assume you only allow early voting in the month of October. Then do you honestly believe that we can have this thing up in 50 states? There\u2019s no funding. There\u2019s no specific implementation instructions,\u201d Tillis told the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsobserver.com\/news\/politics-government\/article316326777.html#storylink=cpy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Raleigh News &#038; Observer<\/a> last week. <\/p>\n<p>The outgoing two-term senator with no love lost for the president doesn\u2019t have to worry about re-election. But some of his fellow Republicans do. Their lackluster performance, particularly on the popular SAVE America Act, could prove costly to the GOP\u2019s efforts to turn out the vote in critical midterms and, ultimately, to hold the Senate majority. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho needs Democrats when you have your own party derailing the Trump agenda?\u201d Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/meredithllee\/status\/2072312653880406448\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told <\/a>Politico last week. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Deeply Frustrating\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, Republicans bolted without dealing with a year-long ban on federal Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. The prohibition, included in the One Big Beautiful Bill, expired on the Fourth of July. Now, the abortion giant may again tap into up to $800 million in taxpayer funds to support its operations. While the funds aren\u2019t supposed to go to subsidize abortions, federal funding is ever fungible. <\/p>\n<p>Republicans, most of whom like to push their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-must-get-serious-about-using-political-power-if-they-want-to-win-on-abortion\/\" title=\"Republicans Must Get Serious About Using Political Power If They Want To Win On Abortion\">pro-life bona fides<\/a>, half-heartedly tried to extend the ban in this year\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >contentious immigration law enforcement bill<\/a>, but it was eventually dropped. Jessica Prol Smith, government relations director for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartbeatinternational.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heartbeat International<\/a>, the world\u2019s largest network of pregnancy\u00a0help\u00a0organizations, told The Federalist that the votes may be tough in a midterm election year, but Republicans\u2019 failure to stop taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood could depress conservative turnout.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were deeply grateful for the win that we had, but this is a clear step backwards, And it\u2019s deeply disappointing, deeply frustrating because the votes were there a year ago,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0 \u201cI mean having worked for a member of Congress it is much easier to convince your boss to stick his or her neck out there on a difficult vote if they\u2019ve done so in the past.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Courage seems to be in short supply this session. <\/p>\n<h2>They Went on Vacation Instead<\/h2>\n<p>Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America has tried to bring back some backbone to Republicans more nervous about losing votes from pro-abortion voters than standing up for life. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/sbaprolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SBA-Senate-letter-Big-Abortion-June-2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">letter <\/a>sent to senators last month, SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser reminded lawmakers that a nationwide <a href=\"https:\/\/sbaprolife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SBA_National_Memo_Final.pdf\">poll<\/a> found 75 percent of Republican primary voters support defunding Planned Parenthood. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBudget reconciliation remains the only viable legislative path to continuing to defund Big Abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood,\u201d\u00a0 Dannenfelser wrote. <\/p>\n<p>The abortion giant in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/uploads\/filer_public\/cf\/d0\/cfd08bf5-480a-45da-bb38-c989e9647492\/digital-2025-ppfa-annualreport-c3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">annual report<\/a> for 2024-25, boasted that it carried out 434,450 abortions. While Planned Parenthood cries poverty, it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/politics\/planned-parenthood-to-spend-40-million-ahead-of-november-on-democrats-supporting-abortion-rights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> that it would spend $40 million in the 2024 election cycle. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor a time they were getting 39 percent of their overall funding from the government. That is deeply problematic,\u201d Heartbeat International\u2019s Smith said in an interview with The Federalist. <\/p>\n<p>Republican lawmakers could do something about defunding Planned Parenthood and passing the SAVE America Act. They went on vacation instead. In the coming months, they\u2019ll have to answer to their voters who might just put them out of work. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Matt Kittle is a senior elections correspondent for The Federalist. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-knew-100-percent-he-was-fighting-for-the-little-guy-former-top-trump-economic-adviser\/\" title=\"Trump Knew ...100 Percent\u2019 He Was ...Fighting for the Little Guy\u2019: Former Top Trump Economic Adviser\">award-winning investigative reporter<\/a> and 30-year veteran of print, broadcast, and online journalism, Kittle previously served as the executive director of Empower Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Congress on break; key election bills stalled, GOP inactive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":656,"featured_media":2625941,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-07-at-1.50.11-AM-1024x571.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4402,4762,82322,34333,3882],"class_list":["post-2625940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-congress","tag-legislation","tag-pp-defunding","tag-save-act","tag-vacation"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-07-at-1.50.11-AM-1024x571.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2625940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/656"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2625940"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2625940\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2625944,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2625940\/revisions\/2625944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2625941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2625940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2625940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2625940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}