Senate Democrats blocked a major energy and water spending bill Monday over disagreements with Republicans over a proposed amendment on Iran.
The Republican leadership is calling for a vote on Wednesday on the amendment, with senior California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein saying she will work with the GOP majority to reach an agreement that addresses the GOP’s concerns over Iran that enables the chamber to pass the spending bill.
The amendment proposed by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., would stop Iran from selling radioactive, or heavy, water to the U.S.
Democrats blocked a key procedural vote, 50-42, to end debate on the $37.5 billion bill and move toward approving the legislation, which would fund the Department of Energy and other agencies’ fiscal 2017 budgets.
The vote marked the third time the Senate failed to gain cloture on the bill.
