Murkowski was lone Republican senator to vote against SAVE Act

The first vote held on the SAVE Act in the Senate Tuesday passed 51-48, with Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska the only Republican in the Senate to cast a "no" vote for the measure that would require new voter ID laws to shore up American elections. Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina didn't vote on the measure, saying he was unable to attend due to a travel delay. 

The 51-48 vote advances the SAVE Act to what could be a weeklong debate over the bill, but it would need more support to reach the 60-vote threshold for the Senate to pass the act. Tillis, though he didn't vote, has been critical of advancing the bill to a vote because the bill doesn't have enough votes in the legislative body to pass it. Last week, Tillis told NBC News "it’s a waste of time" to hold a vote on a measure that doesn't have the support to be approved. "There’s a 0% [chance] of this succeeding," Tillis said. 

Murkowski has said she supports the idea of tougher voter ID laws, but opposes the crackdown on mail-in ballots covered in the SAVE Act, which she has said will make voting for some in remote parts of Alaska more difficult. 

President Trump has said he would not sign any other legislation until the Senate passed the SAVE Act and sent it to his desk to be signed into law. Meanwhile, the bill's proponents, including Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who is one of the co-sponsors of the SAVE Act, have continued trying to rally support in the Senate. Lee has said the voter ID laws are broadly popular and passing the Save Act "is a simple task" for Congress. The House passed the bill last month. 

Below, see Lee's remarks on the Senate floor.