Democrats blocked the Senate from considering a defense spending bill on Thursday afternoon that would pay military service members during
Democrats blocked the Senate from considering a defense spending bill on Thursday afternoon that would pay military service members during the shutdown.
Senators voted 50 to 44, with just three Democrats breaking with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to advance a full-year defense appropriations bill. The failed vote comes as Congress is locked in a stalemate to end the 16-day shutdown with Democrats largely refusing to cross party lines and reopen the government.
The defense appropriations bill would fund the Department of War for the upcoming fiscal year and ensure that active-duty troops do not miss a paycheck during the shutdown. The measure also includes a military pay raise.
Military personnel would have gone without pay for the first time in U.S. history on Wednesday if President Donald Trump had not tapped unused Pentagon funding to temporarily cover troop pay.
However, there is no guarantee of future paychecks for military personnel if the shutdown continues into November.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire joined Republicans in advancing the defense spending bill that would fund troop pay for the entire fiscal year.
