Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles is calling on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to bring the SAVE America Act to a floor vote, arguing that continued delays have left him with no remaining justification for inaction. Ogles made the comments during an appearance on The Benny Show.
“Thune has multiple choices as to which one he can get through the Senate, and so he makes this excuse of, well, he’s protecting a few of his members,” Ogles said. “You know, if they signed up for that job, put the dadgum bill on the floor, and they can vote on it, and then they can go back home to their constituents and answer those questions.”
He pointed to polling he says shows broad public support for the legislation. “Look, a CNN poll: 83% of Americans … everybody supports this,” Ogles adding that “there are no excuses. There’s no reason or excuse for him to be a coward.”
Ogles went further, suggesting Thune should relinquish his leadership post if he does not move the bill forward. “And if he’s not willing to do it, he needs to step out of the way and let Mike Lee or someone like Mike Lee take over as leader and get it done,” he said.
Host Benny Johnson pressed Ogles to confirm the significance of that statement. “You’re calling right there, Congressman, for John Thune to step aside, is that correct?” Johnson asked.
Ogles did not walk back the remark. “Absolutely. 100%. Look, he has a mandate from the American people. Set aside what the President has asked for, set aside the fact that the House has passed it three times,” he said. “The American people have said … a CNN poll, not the bastion of conservatism, right, a CNN poll: 83% of Americans want the Save America Act. There are no excuses. There are no places to hide.”
He named several senators he believes would act differently in Thune’s position. “Do your dadgum job or get out of the way,” Ogles said. “Mike Lee would put it on the floor. Marsha Blackburn would put it on the floor. There are others that would put it on the floor, like Senator Scott.”
The bill has passed the House multiple times but has not received a vote in the Senate. Its path forward now rests on whether Senate leadership schedules floor time in the coming weeks.
