(CNN) The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved legislation to protect the special counsel from being fired, a rare bipartisan step that sends a warning signal to President Donald Trump not to remove Robert Mueller.

The legislation, which would give Mueller and other special counsels the ability to challenge their firings in court, still has little chance of becoming law — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed not to put it on the floor , House Republicans have shown no interest in the measure and Trump would be unlikely to sign it.

But the committee's 14-7 vote to approve the measure still provides a symbolic message that the Senate would not tolerate Mueller's firing. Four Republicans voted yes: Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona.

The special counsel bill was authored by four senators — Democrats Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Republicans Tillis and Graham — and was finalized earlier this month amid rising concerns from Democrats that Trump might try to fire Mueller.

Thursday's vote occurred following lengthy negotiations between senior members of the committee over an amendment to the bill from Grassley, which added congressional reporting requirements to the bill.