Nothing says party unity quite like a senator going on national television to publicly roast his own leader for being too careful. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy took to CBS News' Face the Nation to deliver what can only be described as the most polite backstabbing in recent Senate history, as reported by Conservative Brief. Kennedy wants Majority Leader John Thune to stop waiting around for Democrats to play nice and start ramming legislation through the chamber like it owes him money.
And honestly, the way Kennedy delivered his critique was chef's kiss levels of Southern charm. He told viewers he loves John Thune, that Thune has a big brain, and that Thune is better looking than him. Then he followed all those compliments by basically saying the guy needs to grow a spine. That is some world class Louisiana diplomacy right there.
The bill Kennedy is most fired up about is the SAVE America Act, which would force people to show documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and would add voter ID requirements on top of that. Republicans have tried multiple times to bring this thing up for a vote, but Democrats keep blocking it like a defensive lineman protecting a quarterback. Kennedy argued that passing this legislation is essential for both parties to maintain credibility around elections.
Kennedy also predicted that Chuck Schumer is going to force a government shutdown, which is scheduled to happen if Congress cannot fund things by September 30. That deadline is basically right around the corner when you factor in the Senate's planned five week recess starting August 7. Nothing screams urgency like taking more than a month off with a funding cliff approaching.
Beyond the voting bill, Kennedy rattled off a whole shopping list of priorities he wants addressed, including the House budget resolution, extra defense spending, help for farmers, a cryptocurrency bill, and sanctions packages targeting both Russia and Iran. The Iran sanctions would apparently be tacked onto the Russia package, which is named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Kennedy is not alone in his impatience. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently said that Trump's patience is running out with how slowly the Senate is moving. Trump himself told supporters at a Georgia rally to pick up their phones and call Thune directly. So now the Senate Majority Leader is basically getting it from all sides.
Thune, for his part, has acknowledged the procedural reality that most bills need 60 votes to clear a filibuster, meaning Republicans would need Democratic cooperation. He mentioned that his team is looking into whether parts of the SAVE Act could sneak through via budget reconciliation, possibly by offering financial incentives to states that adopt voter ID. That approach would only require a simple majority but would still need to comply with Senate budget rules.
So to summarize, Republicans are yelling at their own leader, the clock is ticking toward a potential shutdown, everyone is about to leave for vacation, and the solution being floated is a creative accounting workaround. Washington at its finest, folks.
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