HOW MUCH LONGER CAN THIS GO ON? Dec. 13, 2014 10:21pm Pete Kasperowicz Twenty-four Republicans voted late Saturday night to pass a $1.1 trillion spending bill that will fund most of the government through the end of fiscal year 2015, ending a full week of drama over whether the government might shut down. The Senate approved the spending bill in a 56-40 vote that split both parties. While many Republicans supported the bill, many others were angry at the idea of approving a spending bill that doesn’t defund President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration. Both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted for the huge spending bill Saturday night. Still, most Republicans voted for the measure — GOP members supported it 24-18 in the final vote. Republicans voting for the bill were Sens. Alexander, Ayotte, Barrasso, Blunt, Boozman, Burr, Coats, Cochran, Collins, Cornyn, Enzi, Fischer, Graham, Hatch, Hoeven, Isakson, Johanns, Kirk, McConnell, Murkowski, Roberts, Thune, Toomey and Wicker. While Democrats were more predisposed to the huge funding bill, many were upset over language in the bill that eases federal regulations against banks. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led the charge against that issue, and she and several other Democrats voted against the bill. Overall, Democrats and Independents supported it 32-22. Republican attempts to force a vote on immigration threatened to delay the spending bill vote until Monday, but by Saturday evening, the Senate agreed to hold an immigration vote that was demanded by Cruz. While Republicans came away without any language that blocks Obama’s immigration plans, the bill only funds the Department of Homeland Security through February 27. That means the Republican-led House and Senate will have a chance in early 2015 to try again to fight Obama’s executive action. Passage of the bill by the Senate sends it to the White House for Obama’s signature into law.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 11:39:14 +0000