Senate Blocks Stopgap Bill to Prevent Shutdown This Weekend
Source: Associated Press
Senate Blocks Stopgap Bill to Prevent Shutdown This Weekend
By ANDREW TAYLOR, ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON Sep 27, 2016, 3:05 PM ET
The Senate Tuesday stumbled over a must-do bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and to fund the fight against the Zika virus. Democrats, demanding money so that Flint, Michigan can address its man-made water crisis, overwhelmingly opposed the measure, as did a host of the chamber's most conservative members.
The 45-55 vote stalls the stopgap funding bill for now at least and is exasperating top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who made several concessions to Democrats in weeks of negotiations over the measure.
The GOP defections left McConnell, R-Ky., short of a simple majority, much less the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster hurdle.
Republican leaders are promising to address the Flint issue after the election in a separate water resources bill, but Democrats refuse to take them at their word.
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