Senate Democrats called on majority leader Mitch McConnell Friday to allow votes on four measures that passed the Senate in non-binding amendments during the budget process.
Democrats are not likely to get their way, but they could draw attention to Democratic ideas that gained some bipartisan support in votes held in the dead of night during the budget amendment marathon known as “vote-o-rama.”
“[W]e stand ready to work with you to bring real legislation separate from the budget to the floor for an up-or-down vote,” nine Democrats told McConnell in a letter sent Friday.
They listed four amendments they described as “containing common-sense policies that will benefit hardworking Americans instead of special interests” for votes.
Those include a paid sick leave amendment, which gained 61 votes, an amendment to end employment discrimination against pregnant workers, which passed unanimously, and an amendment to renew certain middle- and lower-income tax credits set to expire, which passed with 73 votes. The Democrats also asked for a vote on a measure introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii to extend Social Security and veterans’ benefits to legally married same-sex couples, which passed with 57 votes.
The amendments were all passed as part of the budget, which is an agreement between chambers of Congress and does not get signed into law. The votes took place during the dead of the night in late March as the budget moved toward passage and just before senators left Washington for a two-week break.
Although they all received Republican support, the amendments are not favorites to receive support as actual legislation.
Some would lose support as soon as they were given legislative text. The paid sick leave amendment, for instance, offered by Patty Murray of Washington, gave no specifics about how the policy would work. Democrats and Republicans have proposed significantly different sick leave policies, both of which are disliked by the other side.
Furthermore, in past years overwhelming support for a non-binding amendment has not translated into momentum for a floor vote in the Senate.
The senators signing the letter to McConnell Friday were Dick Durbin of Illinois, Murray, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Chuck Schumer of New York, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Schatz, and Al Franken of Minnesota.
McConnell spokesman Don Stewart responded by noting that the Democrats did not call for votes on GOP-sponsored amendments that also received bipartisan support, wryly suggesting that “I’m sure that was just an oversight.”
“Despite not bringing many of these issues to the floor when they were in the majority, under the new Congress’ return to regular order, Senators of both parties now have the opportunity to work with the appropriate committee chairmen to report bipartisan legislation that complies with the budget,” Stewart added.
