Democrats block defense spending bill in Senate

Reuters ^ | Sept 22, 2015 | By Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Eric Walsh

[11th_VA]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats blocked the fiscal 2016 defense spending bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, amid a fierce fight with Republicans over tax and spending policy days before a potential Oct. 1 government shutdown.

The vote was 54-42, largely along party lines with Republicans voting yes and Democrats no. It meant the appropriations measure failed to achieve the 60-vote majority needed to advance to final passage in the 100-member Senate. Congressional Democrats and Republicans are fighting over a range of tax and spending issues as the end of the fiscal year approaches.

In the case of the Department of Defense, Democrats oppose a Republican-led plan to use some $38 billion in special war contingency funds to let the Pentagon sidestep mandatory "sequestration" spending cuts put in place under the 2011 Budget Control Act.

A similar vote on the appropriations bill in June also failed. The two parties also have been arguing over Republican-led efforts to include a measure to defund the women's healthcare provider Planned Parenthood in any temporary funding measure to keep the government open.

[rockinqsranch]

A shutdown of government is exactly what the Democrats want. To be blamed for some convoluted reason on the Republicans.

[LachlanMinnesota]

If Republicans only had a majority, think what they could do...

[VTenigma]

It’s by design. If they reconciled the budget months ago the would be no need for a CR hence no slush fund, no Obama dictatorship.

[SunkenCiv]

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[hal ogen]

Never again vote for the typical LIB-infected RINO. Never again.

[SunkenCiv]

The vote was 54-42, largely along party lines with Republicans voting yes and Democrats no.

[hal ogen]

That may be but the “leadership” won’t act. Weak RINO bums.