Senate blocks Trump-backed SAVE Act rewrite targeting trans athletes
Donald Trump. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty)
Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed amendment on Saturday (21 March) that would have banned transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports, rejecting an effort to attach it to the Trump-backed SAVE America Act.
The amendment failed in a 49–41 vote, as lawmakers remain deadlocked over the broader bill, which faces unified Democratic opposition and a hurdle of the 60-vote threshold needed to advance.
The legislation, which previously passed in the House, would introduce stricter voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements.
READ MORE: LGBTQ+ organisations urge US Senate to reject Trump’s anti-trans SAVE America Act
Voting rights groups have warned that proof-of-citizenship requirements could make it harder for eligible voters to register, particularly those with name discrepancies in official documents.
Critics also point out that documented cases of noncitizen voting remain extremely rare, raising questions about the scale of the problem the bill aims to address.
As debate has stretched on, opponents say the bill has increasingly become a vehicle for Trump-aligned lawmakers to introduce measures targeting transgender people, including restrictions on sports participation, gender-affirming healthcare, and legal recognition.
With Republicans lacking the votes to overcome a filibuster, the bill currently has no clear path forward.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
