Senate Blocks Stopgap Bill to Prevent Shutdown This Weekend
Source: Associated Press
The Senate Tuesday stumbled over a must-do bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and to fund the fight against the Zika virus. Democrats, demanding money so that Flint, Michigan can address its man-made water crisis, overwhelmingly opposed the measure, as did a host of the chamber's most conservative members.
The 45-55 vote stalls the stopgap funding bill — for now at least — and is exasperating top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who made several concessions to Democrats in weeks of negotiations over the measure.
The GOP defections left McConnell, R-Ky., short of a simple majority, much less the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster hurdle.
Republican leaders are promising to address the Flint issue after the election in a separate water resources bill, but Democrats refuse to take them at their word.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/democrats-press-talks-showdown-vote-looms-funding-bill-42385748
By ANDREW TAYLOR, ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Sep 27, 2016, 3:05 PM ET
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