Senate Democrats on Tuesday ignored Republican calls to allow a vote on a Defense Department spending bill, and instead filibustered it and said they can only vote for a comprehensive spending plan.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called up the bill and asked Democrats to heed the call of President Obama, who has said before that defending the country is a key priority.
“The same president who had lectured the nation about doing ‘what it takes to defend this nation’ seemed content to see our military held hostage to the whims of the far left,” McConnell said. “The White House cheered Democrats on as they voted repeatedly to block the bill that funds pay raises and medical care for our troops.”
“So if President Obama is committed to protecting the American people, he’ll convince his party to end its blockade of funding for our military,” he said. “We’re going to give Democrats that chance again in just a moment.”
But McConnell’s plan failed, as 60 votes were needed to get the Senate to formally agree to work on the defense bill, and the vote failed 54-42.
Democrats have been arguing that Republicans are looking to unfairly boost defense spending, but subject other areas of the government to cuts known as the “sequester.” They’ve said for months that they can’t accept any spending bills at all unless they are part of a plan to end those cuts for non-defense spending.
After that vote failed, McConnell set up a Thursday vote in the Senate on a continuing spending resolution, one that also defunds Planned Parenthood. But Democrats again indicated they would reject that bill as well, and would hold out for a better deal that needs to happen by next week if the government is to stay fully funded.
Democrats Tuesday morning rejected a stand-alone bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks, and they said the spending bill that defunds Planned Parenthood is just another bill they would reject.
“This is yet another case of GOP wasting time,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Republicans are continuing to push to defund the abortion provider, after a series of videos has raised questions about whether the group is illegally selling fetal remains.
“I know Democrats have relied on Planned Parenthood as a political ally, but they must be moved by the horrifying images we’ve seen,” McConnell said of the videos. “Can they not resolve to protect women’s health instead of powerful political friends?”
