Senate blocks voting bill's amendment on trans athletes during weekend session

The Senate connected Saturday blocked an amendment that would prohibition transgender athletes from playing successful women's sports, rejecting 1 of President Trump's priorities as he pressures Congress to enactment connected a broad voting bill.

Senators were holding a uncommon play league to statement the voting legislation, which would enactment successful spot strict caller requirements for elector registration and require photograph IDs astatine the polls successful an effort to forestall radical successful the state illegally from casting ballots.

The House passed the measure earlier this year, but the Republican president has since said helium wants further priorities added to the legislation, including the sports prohibition for transgender athletes and a prohibition connected each mail-in voting.

Democrats are expected to yet artifact the broader legislation. Republican senators person said repeatedly that they bash not person capable enactment to jettison the legislative filibuster, which triggers a 60-vote threshold successful the 100-member Senate, oregon find different workaround to walk the bill. Republicans clasp 53 seats.

Still, Republicans enactment the authorities connected the Senate level this week for a lengthy statement arsenic Mr. Trump has said helium volition not motion different bills until they walk the voting measure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Saturday greeting that Republicans "haven't made immoderate last decisions astir however to reason this."

"What we are trying to bash is guarantee that we are having a fulsome debate," Thune said, and enactment everyone connected the grounds "one mode oregon the other."

The amendment that was blocked by a 49-41 ballot would penalize acquisition institutions that person national backing if they permitted individuals assigned antheral astatine commencement to enactment "in an diversion programme oregon enactment that is designated for women oregon girls."

Mr. Trump besides wants Congress to artifact enactment reassignment surgeries connected immoderate minors arsenic portion of the statement connected the voting bill. It is unclear whether the Senate volition clasp a ballot connected that.

In addition, Mr. Trump has said helium wants the House-passed measure to see a prohibition connected astir mail-in balloting. The president has criticized mail-in ballots for years and utilized it arsenic a centerpiece of his efforts to overturn his decision to Democrat Joe Biden successful the 2020 statesmanlike election. A prohibition connected message ballots would look beardown pushback from lawmakers.