(Washington) The Senate on Saturday rejected an amendment to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, rejecting one of President Donald Trump’s priorities as he pressures Congress to vote on a sweeping election bill.
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Senators were holding a rare weekend session to debate election legislation, which would put in place strict new voter registration requirements and require photo ID to be presented at the polls, in an effort to prevent illegal immigrants from voting.
The House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this year, but the Republican president has since indicated he wants other priorities added to the legislation, including banning transgender athletes from competing in sports and banning all mail-in voting.
Democrats are expected to ultimately block this broader bill. Republican senators have repeatedly said they do not have enough support to end the filibuster, which imposes a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or to find another solution to pass the bill. Republicans hold 53 seats.
Republicans nevertheless brought the bill to the Senate this week for a lengthy debate, as Mr. Trump said he would not sign another bill until this one passed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Saturday morning that Republicans “have not made any final decision on how to conclude this debate.”
PHOTO TOM BRENNER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
“What we’re trying to do is make sure we have a thorough debate,” Thune said, and get everyone to weigh in “one way or another.”
The amendment, which was defeated by a vote of 49 to 41, would have penalized educational institutions receiving federal funding if they allowed people assigned male at birth to participate “in an athletic program or activity reserved for women or girls.”
Donald Trump also wants Congress to ban sex reassignment operations on certain minors as part of the election bill debate. It is unclear whether the Senate will take a vote on this issue.
Additionally, the president wants the bill passed by the House of Representatives to include a ban on most absentee ballots.
Donald Trump has criticized mail-in voting for years and used it as a central argument in his efforts to contest his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
A ban on mail-in voting would face strong opposition from lawmakers.
