Sen. John McCain sparred this week with the Democratic minority leader over bringing the annual defense authorization bill to the floor, but it was Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky who threw up the latest roadblock early Friday morning.
As the Senate was wrapping up its dramatic healthcare debate, Paul objected to a motion by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to move on to consideration of the $700 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which would have brought the must-pass bill to the floor.
“It is unfortunate that one senator chose to block consideration of a bill our nation needs right now,” McCain said in a statement Friday. “We must uphold our solemn obligation to provide for the common defense and give our men and women in uniform the training, equipment, and resources they need to defend the nation. Our brave service members — many now serving in harm’s way — deserve nothing less.”
Paul’s office said the block involved detentions and a new authorization for the use of military force.
“Senator Rand Paul requested two bipartisan amendments, one on ending indefinite detention and one on AUMFs,” said spokesman Sergio Gor. “He looks forward to working with leadership and the committee to get this done soon.”
Paul has introduced legislation that revokes the U.S. government’s ability to indefinitely detain terror suspects, saying the practice that began after 9/11 is unconstitutional.
McCain, R-Ariz., returned to Washington this week for a few days of work on healthcare and the NDAA before traveling home to begin treatment for his recently diagnosed brain cancer.
He had already met resistance from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who said Thursday he would block consideration of the bill while Democrats felt they were being steamrolled by Republicans on healthcare legislation.
As the healthcare debate came to a crescendo, McCain cast a dramatic deciding vote with a thumbs down on Obamacare repeal legislation early this morning. It momentarily appeared that with the deeply divisive debate out of the way, the Senate could turn to the NDAA.
McConnell had vowed Thursday the defense bill was next up, but the Paul objection threw its future on the floor into uncertainty. The Senate’s August recess is looming and without action soon, consideration of the bill could slip to September.
