Inside the Senate's chaotic all-nighter that left Trump's SAVE America Act on the shelf

During the long night to send the Senate home, deals were brokered, major legislation was punted and promises were extended.The SAVE America Act never made it off the shelf, despite promises up and down from its biggest proponents to thwart any attempt to leave Washington, D.C., without trying to pass it.And the vehicle to blast through Democratic objections and pass parts of the bill never left the garage, either.But it all nearly fell apart before lawmakers ever got a chance to hit the Senate floor for an early morning round of votes.

Here’s what happened in the dead of night, and how Republicans are readying for a busy stretch when the Senate returns in September.President Donald Trump departs following a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Aug.6, 2026.

(Bloomberg via Getty Images)The sun was about to rise in Washington, D.C., as the Senate tidied up last-minute work, but no lawmaker ever made an objection to adjourning for the rest of August.Sen.Mike Lee, R-Utah, empowered by President Donald Trump, vowed that he would object and force a floor vote to keep lawmakers in Washington to find a way to pass the SAVE America Act.The president urged both the House and Senate to pass the Protect College Sports Act.

(Tom Brenner/Getty Images)THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT THE SENATE DID AND DIDN’T DO OVERNIGHTHe even stood in the way, along with several other Republicans for differing reasons, of the deal concocted by Republican leaders to get major items, like averting a shutdown, agreed to and sent to Democrats for their approval in a bid to get a guaranteed floor vote.But the promised objection never came.A roll call vote didn’t happen.

And Lee and others settled for a voice vote, responding "no" to the Senate adjourning for recess.They weren’t successful.Another issue that played out during the night was over the budget blueprint designed to sketch out how to pass pieces and parts of the SAVE America Act witho...