Senate Minority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) expressed pessimism about winning Democratic support for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, which requires 60 votes and requires the support of at least seven Democrats. Thune has faced pressure from some Republicans to change the Senate rules to allow a talking filibuster, which would force Democrats to engage in nonstop floor debate to block the legislation. He argued that this change favors the minority and would force the Senate to vote on amendments such as war powers, Obamacare subsidies, and war powers. Additionally, Thune addressed the ongoing government shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accusing Democrats of holding the agencies under DHS "hostage".