Senate Democrats Tank GOP Military Funding Bill

Senate Democrats have turned an annual Pentagon funding bill into collateral damage in a fierce shutdown battle, blocking the legislation as they pressed for an agreement that includes their domestic priorities, Connor O’Brien reported for Politico.

Some lawmakers signaled ahead of the vote that they would not support the GOP proposal without stronger assurances that their priorities would be included.

The defense funding bill—which includes a military pay raise—fell far short of the 60 votes needed to advance. All but three Democrats opposed the Republican move to open debate on the bill.

It failed in a 50–44 vote, as many Democrats argued the Senate should instead focus on reaching a deal to end the shutdown.

Republicans dared Democrats to oppose the bipartisan measure, arguing it would shore up military pay and national security.

Majority Leader John Thune floated packaging the Pentagon bill with domestic spending measures important to Democrats, including funding for labor, health, and education programs, after the Senate began debate on it.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer countered that Republicans lacked unity in their own ranks to add other bills to the defense measure.

The pitch didn’t sway most Democrats—including supporters of the Senate’s bipartisan defense package.

Some lawmakers signaled ahead of the vote that they would not support the GOP proposal without stronger assurances that their priorities would be included.

“I won’t vote just for the defense appropriations bill, even though that’s my bill,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations panel that controls the defense budget.

Coons and other opponents also argued that lawmakers should prioritize talks to end the shutdown—which Democrats insist must include an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies—rather than passing piecemeal funding bills.