Senate GOP scrambles for August exit strategy that doesn’t anger Trump

Senate Republicans are scrambling for a plan to exit Washington for a five-week August recess that won’t anger President Trump, who has demanded they stay in town for as long as necessary to pass a reconciliation blueprint and elements of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act.

Both items have little chance of success.

Republicans left a lunch meeting Tuesday afternoon frustrated by the lack of a clear plan to wrap up the July work period, which has now stretched into August.

“To be honest, it was a pretty worthless meeting,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.). “I have no idea where we are.”

“If there’s a plan, they’re doing a really good job of hiding it,” he fumed.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said his top priorities are to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government until Dec. 11 and a package of 74 of Trump’s nominees.

He also said confirming Todd Blanche to serve as attorney general is high on the list.

Blanche’s nomination was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning after Sens. John Cornyn (Texas) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), two GOP holdouts, voted yes.

“We’re juggling a lot of balls right now, but there are some things we intend to get done this week, and the first is to ensure we get about 75 of the president’s nominations through, en bloc,” Thune said after meeting with his GOP colleagues.

“The other thing of course we need to do is fund the government,” he said, noting the Senate voted 89-4 on Monday evening to advance the continuing resolution. “It’s important in my view that we can demonstrate to the American people that we can do job one. Job one is ensuring that their federal government is working and funded.”

But Thune reiterated Tuesday that there aren’t enough votes to pass the SAVE America Act, even as he acknowledged Trump continues to push to get that bill passed.

The Senate has already voted five times unsuccessfully on the measure.

“It seems to me some days that I’m the only one here who can count to 50 in this town,” Thune said, with a note of irritation in his voice.

Democrats are willing to speed up floor........

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