Thune: The SAVE America Act Protects Our Elections and Our Youth

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune's remarks below (as delivered):

"Mr. President, today we are kicking off an extended debate on the SAVE America Act - a package of commonsense measures united around two themes: protecting our elections, and protecting our youth.

"You're going to hear me use the adjective commonsense a lot in this debate, Mr. President.

"Because if there's any word that is suitable to describe the measures we're considering, it's that.

"Mr. President, if there's anything essential to the integrity of elections, it's ensuring that those who are registered to vote are eligible to vote - and that those who show up to vote at polling places are … who they say they are.

"And how do you do that?

"Well, by requiring that Americans show proof of citizenship when they register to vote - and that they show photo ID at polling places.

"That's what the SAVE America Act would do.

"It's just common sense.

"And polls show that the American people overwhelmingly agree.

"But to hear Democrats talk, you'd think that demonstrating citizenship or showing a photo ID is an intolerable burden.

"And yet, Mr. President, I haven't heard Democrats complaining about the thousand other circumstances in which we require photo ID in this country.

"Democrats are aware that Americans have to show photo ID to get on a plane, right?

"And to start a new job?

"And when they head to the doctor's office?

"And to rent a car?

"And to stay in a hotel?

"Heck, if you want to get a library card you have to show a photo ID.

"Do Democrats remember their 2024 convention - when attendees had to show a photo ID to get in?

"The senior Democrat senator from Georgia required photo ID to get into his recent rally.

"Mr. President, do Democrats hear themselves?

"Are they going to start boycotting libraries and airplanes and hotels for requiring a photo ID?

"Are they going to explain why they're perfectly justified in requiring photo ID for their political rallies - but why it's somehow an intolerable burden to ask people to show their photo ID when they go to vote?

"I expect they won't.

"They'll simply continue with their mindless, partisan opposition to commonsense ID requirements for federal elections.

"But let's hit pause on that topic for a minute and go to another issue where common sense and the Democrat Party have parted ways.

"And that's on the subject of transgender ideology.

"In their haste to embrace … transgender ideology, Democrats have put themselves in the absurd position of supporting the hijacking of women and girls' sports by biological males.

"Yep, that's right.

"The party that would portray itself as a defender of women has put itself on the record as willing to sacrifice women's athletic opportunities for the sake of biological males.

"Now, Mr. President, no one should need an explanation of what the presence of biological males in women's sports costs women.

"At the most basic level, women are losing out on a slot on the team.

"Every roster place that goes to a male is a roster place that doesn't go to a female.

"And for women who are on the roster - well, the presence of a biological male can (and frequently does) rob them of opportunities to excel.

"Biologically, men possess physical advantages when it comes to sports - things like greater muscle mass and greater aerobic power - which means that, by and large, men are likely to dominate in women's sports, taking wins and medal opportunities away from women.

"In an August 2024 United Nations report on violence against women and girls, they had this to say about the results of men participating in women's sports, and I quote: 'According to information received, by 30 March 2024, over 600 female athletes in more than 400 competitions have lost more than 890 medals in 29 different sports.'

"'… over 600 female athletes in more than 400 competitions have lost more than [890] medals in 29 different sports.'

"The SAVE America Act would ensure that men are not allowed to hijack women's sporting opportunities.

"And yet once again, we expect my Democrat colleagues to oppose keeping women's sports for women.

"Mr. President, the idea that a female high school athlete might lose out on a college scholarship because her achievements were overshadowed by those of a biological male on her team is bad enough.

"But an even more dangerous consequence of the embrace of transgender ideology is the children who have become victims of irreversible gender transition procedures.

"And when I say children I mean children, Mr. President.

"Young men and women who are not old enough to vote.

"Who are years away from being able to legally drink.

"Who still need parental permission to take medicine at school.

"The New York Times reports, and I quote, 'A review of hospital data from 2016 through 2020 identified about 3,600 patients aged 12 to 18 who had received gender-related surgery.'

"Aged 12 to 18.

"Can you imagine that, Mr. President?

"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?

"This madness has to end.

"Multiple European countries have acted to rein in gender transition procedures for minors, and so have a number of U.S. states.

"The SAVE America Act would extend protection from these procedures to all children, whatever state they live in.

"Commonsense measures, Mr. President - require proof of citizenship to register to vote, require photo ID at the polls, protect women's sports from being hijacked by biological males, and protect teenagers from life-altering, irreversible gender transition procedures.

"Measures, I might add again, Mr. President, supported by a majority of Americans.

"And measures we expect my Democrat colleagues to oppose.

"It's unfortunate that common sense is not very common anymore in the Democrat Party."

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